


Sweet as Honey and Just as Pretty

by LeisurelyPanda



Category: Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Aftercare, Age Play, Alternate Universe, Amputee Bucky Barnes, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Barista Steve Rogers, Body Image, Bondage, Bottom Steve Rogers, Brock Rumlow is Always Awful, Bucky Barnes's Metal Arm, Cheating, Cock & Ball Torture, Daddy Kink, Deaf Steve Rogers, Dom Bucky Barnes, Dom/sub, Don't copy to another site, Engineer Bucky Barnes, Eventual Smut, FIRST CHAPTER ONLY, Fluff and Smut, Humiliation, Intercrural Sex, Kink Negotiation, Light Angst, M/M, Mutual Masturbation, Non-Serum Steve Rogers/Winter Soldier Bucky Barnes | Shrinkyclinks, Oral Sex, Orgasm Control, Orgasm Delay/Denial, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Abuse, Past Brock Rumlow/Steve Rogers - Freeform, Past Relationship(s), Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Protective Bucky Barnes, Public Humiliation, Punishment, Riding Crops, Self Confidence Issues, Sex Toys, Slow Burn, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, Sub Steve Rogers, Top Bucky Barnes, Vibrators, War Veteran Bucky Barnes, Wax Play, big dick bucky barnes, character with bipolar disorder, chubby Steve Rogers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-19
Updated: 2019-10-03
Packaged: 2019-10-12 22:14:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 29
Words: 134,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17475947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeisurelyPanda/pseuds/LeisurelyPanda
Summary: Steve's always been... bigger. Fatter. It's just been a part of his life. He's accepted it, and he's accepted the fact that other guys don't usually like fat guys. When his relationship comes to an abrupt end, he wonders if anyone will ever want to be with him again, if he'll be forever alone, selling coffee in a shop in the shadow of Stark Industries and making art when he can scrounge up the money for supplies.Bucky lost his arm in Afghanistan more than 12 years ago, earning him a Purple Heart he didn't really care about and an honorable discharge that he thought he wanted. His work in robotics and cybernetics have led him and his fellow researchers to a metal prosthesis that can move, feel, and operate like a real limb. His life's work now accomplished, the last thing Bucky was expecting was to walk into a coffee shop and see a gorgeous man behind the counter to spark desire in him that he'd forgotten he had.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, my loves! Welcome to my sugar daddy AU! I have to say, I've been wanting to write one of these for a long time. This is partly inspired by a number of stories, which you should all read! First, [Sugar Sweet](https://archiveofourown.org/works/9683708/chapters/21863813) by ColorCoated, which is a phenomenal sugar daddy fic. Second, [So Alive](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13337652) by GottaSaveBucky, another equally phenomenal daddy kink/bookstore AU fic. Last, but not least, [The World Could Be Burning 'Til There's Nothing](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15246057) by CapriciousKitten, a wonderful fic with plus size Bucky and a Steve who appreciates Bucky for all he is. Y'all should totally check these fics out cause they're great! <3
> 
> Now, please be aware that during this first chapter, and this chapter only, there is a scene of cheating, emotional abuse, and physical abuse. It is the only time this occurs in the story. If these themes bother you, feel free to skip them.

Steve Rogers wasn’t the most attractive man in the world. He knew that. He’d made his peace with that. He was short enough that he might have been considered a twink if it weren’t for the fact that he was about 230 pounds. At just shy of 5 and a half feet tall, he knew that he was what doctors considered an unhealthy weight. It had been months since he’d seen one, and not just because he didn’t have the money to afford one. 

Thinking rationally, Steve figured he didn’t have much going for him. He didn’t have looks and he didn’t have money. His personality didn’t make up for much, as his boyfriend, Brock, was wont to tell him, usually after getting into a fight with someone who was taller, stronger, and meaner than him. “Scrappy little shrimp,” Brock would grumble. “What’s it gonna take for you to stop getting into fights? Who do you think you’re helping anyway? You’re fucking useless in a fight. Don’t know why I hang around.” 

Steve sighed as he walked on the sidewalk towards the apartment he shared with Brock. He tried telling himself that he was happy, that he was lucky someone like Brock had looked his way in the first place. The sex was even decent when Brock wasn’t too tired to get it up. The guy worked long hours in security, so Steve tried not to feel too bad about not getting as much as he liked. He wouldn’t be getting any if it weren’t for Brock. 

That last thought sounded suspiciously like Brock. Steve just shrugged. _It’s not like he’d be wrong if he did say it_ , he thought. 

He walked up the steps to his floor and tried not to huff as he got to the top. He took his keys out and turned them in the lock and walked in. As soon as he was inside he heard strange noises. They sounded like… moaning, rhythmic banging. His heart dropped to his stomach as his blood began to boil. He marched to the bedroom and threw open the door. He was greeted with the sight of Brock fucking some guy Steve had never seen before. The stranger at least had the decency to look surprised and shocked at Steve’s arrival. Brock didn’t even turn around.

“What the _hell_ is going on here!?” Steve demanded. Only then did Brock acknowledge his presence. He sighed, _sighed_ , in annoyance as he turned around. 

“What? I’m kinda in the middle of something here, unless you want to join us,” Brock said. His tone made it clear that he really didn’t want Steve there at all. 

“You’re cheating on me!” Steve growled. “I think I have a right to know what’s going on in _my bed_!” 

Brock gave a longsuffering sigh. “Well, I guess you would’ve found out sooner or later.” 

“Um… I think I should…” the guy said. He was slinking off the bed and gathering up his clothes. 

“Stay, it’s not that big a deal, he’s just sensitive,” Brock said. 

“Get out,” Steve growled. The guy looked between the two before he scurried out of the room clutching his clothes in his hands. “How could you?” Steve demanded when he was gone. 

“Really? You’re surprised?” Brock asked. “Thanks for that, by the way. Now I’m gonna get blue balls.” 

“Shut the fuck up!” Steve shouted. “How long have you been fucking people behind my back?!”

“I dunno, 6, maybe 7 months?” Brock replied. 

“So pretty much the entire time since you moved in?” Steve asked. 

“I don’t know why you’re surprised,” Brock repeated. “You get to have sex with someone who’s attractive, why shouldn’t I?” 

“I thought you found me attractive,” Steve protested. Brock rolled his eyes and shrugged. 

“I didn’t want to hurt your feelings by saying I didn’t,” he said. 

Steve hated the way the words lanced through him. Almost a year of dating and… it was all a lie. A year of his life wasted. He didn’t think. He just walked over to the closet and took his suitcase out. He rushed over to his dresser and took out his clothes and threw them in carelessly. 

“What? You’re actually leaving?” Brock asked. He laughed mockingly. “Where do you think you’re going to go? Who’s going to take you in? No one cares about your fat, ugly ass but me!” 

Steve didn’t answer. Brock walked over and took Steve’s face in one of his hands. His grip was hard and his look was cold as he regarded Steve like he was a petulant child. The look turned his stomach. Just the other day he had been thinking of bringing up kink to spice up their love life. Now he was just trying to get out.

“You hear me? You’re nothing but an ugly little pig and you should be grateful that I put up with you at all,” Brock growled. “Now put those back before you make me angry.” 

Steve tore himself from Brock’s grip and spat in his face. Before he could think twice, Brock backhanded him and sent him to the floor. Steve cried out in pain as he was kicked in the stomach. He lay there, clutching his stomach and gasping for air as Brock stood over him looking cruelly delighted at Steve’s position. Steve tried to crawl to his feet before he was kicked again. 

“Be smart for once and stay down,” Brock said. “Now, I’m going to go shower and take care of my problem. When I get back, you’d better have all this junk put away, or you’ll regret it.”

Brock stomped off and slammed the bathroom door shut behind him. Once Steve heard the water running, he determined he had about half an hour to 45 minutes to get his stuff together and get out. He texted his friend, Peggy, saying that he’d be over and got to work packing his bags as quietly as he could. 

He packed the essentials, which amounted to his clothes and art supplies. The rest could be replaced easily enough. He’d finished painting a piece and left it in the coffee shop just today, so he didn’t have to worry about moving half-finished art. Or, well, the stuff that was half-finished he didn’t care about. He packed up his easel and put his paints and brushes carefully in gallon sized Ziploc bags. Lastly, he took the two pictures he had of his parents. One featured the three of them and the other was just them. They were all he had left of his father and he was determined to take them. He packed them gently into his suitcase and sighed with relief when it closed. 

Finally, he took a chair from the kitchen and propped it up beneath the handle of the bathroom. He hurried out before he could think better of it. He would call the police and tell them someone was stuck in the bathroom later. He grinned to himself at the thought of them finding Brock naked and trapped. 

_Asshole deserves it_ , Steve thought. 

He emerged to find his friends, Sam and Peggy waiting for him. He tried not to think about how long Brock kept him from them in one way or another. Peggy glared at the sight of his face, which Steve still hadn’t seen. She drew him into a hug. Sam grabbed his bags and packed them carefully into the trunk of his car. 

“Let’s get you home,” she said. He managed to make it to her apartment, where her girlfriend, Angie, met them with freshly fried chicken, a large pot of mac and cheese, and green beans. As soon as he was through the door Steve slumped into the nearest chair and sobbed. Someone put down a plate of food in front of him. When he managed to pull himself together, he told them all about what happened as they ate. 

“I don’t know what to do, now,” Steve said when he was done. “The whole past year seems like it was a waste of time.” 

“Well,” Angie said, getting up. “You can start by having some more food.” She piled his plate with seconds and passed it back to him. 

“Maybe I shouldn’t,” Steve replied. Peggy reached across the table to take his hand. 

“Steve, I’ve known you longer than anyone here,” she said. “I know that you’re thinking that maybe this is a sign that you need to lose weight, that maybe this wouldn’t have happened if you were skinny.” 

Steve bit his lip and nodded. 

“Brock was an asshole,” she said vehemently. “You’re one of the best people I know and if he can’t see that, he doesn’t deserve you. Fuck whatever that guy thinks about you.” 

Steve appreciated the fact that none of them mentioned that they all had their reservations about the guy from the very beginning. Looking back, he could see why. Brock was possessive, controlling, and just a giant asshole. He still looked dubiously at the plate in front of him before Angie moved her chair to sit next to his other side. 

“Steve, hon, you’ve had a hell of a day,” she said. “You broke up with a cheating, abusive asshole, and that’s great. But it also sucks. If ever there was a time to indulge a little bit, it’s now, but if you really don’t want to, that’s fine, too.” 

Steve felt the tears renew. “I’m sorry,” he rasped. “I should’ve listened to you guys.” 

“Look, Steve,” Sam said. “The important thing is that you got away. That’s all we care about. We’re glad to have you back, dude.” 

Steve smiled and picked up the fork to dig into the food in front of him. They piled into the living room afterwards to watch old Nickelodeon shows (mostly Avatar: The Last Airbender and Fairly OddParents). Steve found that he missed the easy camaraderie and lighthearted fun that he had with his friends. It didn’t keep him from crying again that night after everyone went to bed, but it was still good.

It wasn’t until midnight that he realized that he’d forgotten to call the police to let them know that someone was trapped in a bathroom over in Crown Heights. He grinned to himself when he hung up on the 911 operator. If Brock hadn’t managed to kick the door down, yet, he was in for a rude awakening. 

The next day, Steve blocked Brock’s number and social media profiles, but not before seeing Brock post about his experience. As it happened, he hadn’t managed to break the door down and, having left his phone on the nightstand, had fallen asleep in the bathroom only to be woken up around one to a pair of police officers standing over him. Steve got a good chuckle out of it. He still wasn’t sure if he wanted to press charges, but Peggy had taken pictures of his face and ribs just in case. She’d even volunteered to represent him, if he wanted. 

Steve spent the next few weeks crashing in Sam and Angie’s spare room. Eventually, he signed a lease with Sam and a couple other friends at a relatively cheap place in Brooklyn Heights. Between Steve’s commissions, his barista job in Manhattan, and Sam’s student loans that paid his way through counseling school, they’d be able to afford it.

* * *

6 months later…

Bucky Barnes, former Marine sergeant honorably discharged for being wounded in battle, current engineer for Stark Industries, and amputee, woke slowly, then all at once. Anesthesia always had that effect on him. He felt groggy, like he had spent about 11 or 12 hours asleep and got stuck with feeling tired from the excess. It was to be expected, considering that he had spent several hours being operated on. 

He groaned as he roused the rest of the way into wakefulness. He felt… heavy, which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. He groaned again as he opened his eyes. Sunlight streamed through the windows into the sterilized, modern room at Stark Industries. Bucky liked many things about working there, but the aesthetic design was not one of them. Tony liked everything to be sleek and extravagantly minimalistic. It made for an efficient work environment, but also for an impersonal, detached air. 

Right now, Tony’s lousy aesthetic was the last thing on his mind. He looked over to his left. 13 years ago, he’d been caught in a car bomb in Afghanistan. Some of the people he’d been with were killed, while Bucky merely had to have his left arm amputated. After a year of adjustment, Bucky had used his veteran status to go to engineering school before getting his masters at MIT. His doctoral thesis had been on the application of Stark Tech in connecting to the neural pathways in the brain for building prosthetics that could not only have the shape of a human limb, but also function like one. 

His work at Stark Industries for the past six years was instrumental in getting that doctorate. Animal trials went better than they ever expected. The human trials after that were also wildly successful. After 10 years of moving about with one usable arm and a useless prosthesis, Bucky had undergone the operation to be outfitted with a new arm. 

“Dr. Barnes,” came a voice. He looked over to see his work partners, Dr. Helen Cho and Dr. Shuri King, a doctor/scientific genius from Wakanda who was easily as brilliant, if not more so, than any of them. As a princess and the world’s leading expert on vibranium, her collaboration was invaluable. They stood on his left side. Helen looked imminently pleased with herself, while Shuri had that studious, inquisitive air that followed her wherever she went. “How are you feeling?” 

Bucky grinned. “Like I want to do some pushups,” he replied. He looked down at the gleaming metal of his new arm. He tries to twitch a finger and is utterly delighted when the correct finger twitches. 

“How about we lay off on any major physical feats until your body is adjusted to the prosthetic?” Shuri asked with a genial smile. “Make sure your recovery is as smooth as possible.” 

“Right, right,” Bucky replies. A second later, he’s grinning again. “Just… it was one thing, seeing animals and other people getting their limbs. Having my own is… exhilarating.” 

“I’m sure it is,” Helen chuckles. “Get some rest. I’m sure you’ll want to start your recovery and PT as soon as possible.”

“How long until I start?” Bucky asked. 

“10-14 days, depending on how your recovery goes,” Shuri answered. Bucky sighed. He knew the answer to that question already, but part of him had been hoping for something different. No matter how fancy the prosthetic was, it was still a prosthetic. 

He calmed the buzzing excitement in his mind. One and a half to two weeks and he would start physical therapy. He could hardly contain himself.

* * *

One month later…

Physical therapy sucked, Bucky decided. Adjusting to a new limb sucked, too. It was almost the reverse of how it had been before, though. Bucky’s period of adjustment to one arm had been awkward and frustrating. Coupled with his mental state at the time, it had been a nightmare he thought he’d never have to repeat. 

Adjusting to a new prosthetic, however, turned out to be just as weird and frustrating. For one, even though his arm was relatively light (being made of vibranium), there was still the matter of adjusting to having weight on his left side again. Bucky found himself overcompensating for a while before he was able to get used to standing like he used to. 

Then there was the getting used to actually using his left arm again. There were months where he’d had to get used to the fact that he didn’t have an arm anymore, but now he did and it was like having to remind himself that there was an option now rather than simply using his right hand for everything. 

Then there was the depth perception. He kept misjudging how much he had to move the arm in order to reach something. He knocked something over nearly every time he tried to get something. He became very, very careful about keeping his electronics away from any drinks. A few close calls were sufficient for keeping him from making the mistake again. 

Reading about it in the reports he received from the physical therapists that were working with them was different from doing the work himself that was for sure. Somehow he’d expected to not be part of the norm, but here he was, struggling to relearn how to use his hand by stretching an elastic band. 

He was getting better, though. His physical therapist thought that in a few months he would be at the level using his arm like he always had. There was some debate as to how much weight the arm would be able to support. There was some thought that he would be able to work up to having the same level of strength as his right arm. Others thought that it would be stronger than his right arm and others that thought he would be weaker. There was truly no way of knowing just how strong Bucky would be except with time. 

“I just wish that I could get it to work already,” Bucky griped one evening to Natasha. 

“I know, it sucks being the recipient of scientific genius,” she replied as she opened up a bottle of vodka. “Weren’t you talking some months ago about how great it would be to just have two hands again?” 

Bucky groaned but accepted his shot of vodka. He downed it in one go. 

“Careful,” she warned. “You can’t handle hangovers like you used to, and if memory serves, you still believe in working on weekends.” 

“Thought you’d be happy that you got me to come home before 8,” Bucky said as he held his glass out for a refill. Natasha rolled her eyes but topped him off. Bucky sipped this one rather than knock it back. She was right, after all. “Besides, I’m working less on weekends, now.” 

“But you still go in,” she pointed out. “Dude, I’m not saying that what you’ve done isn’t impressive as hell, but you need a fucking life. Get out, go somewhere other than your big ass house or Stark’s big ass tower.” 

“And do what, exactly?” Bucky asked. 

“I don’t know, find a fucking boyfriend again,” she replied. “Take ice skating lessons, go out dancing, or join a knitting circle.”

She sighed and sat down next to him. “Look, I’m happy for you, Bucky, you know I am,” she said. “But you need to get out.” 

“I guess,” Bucky replied. “Lemme get through enough physical therapy so that I can actually control fine motor skills with this hand and I promise that I’ll get out.” 

“I’m going to hold you to that,” she declared. 

Bucky sighed. Maybe she was right. He’d spent almost every day working towards inventing a prosthetic that could move, function, and feel like a real human limb. Maybe he should try to find something new to do with his time. God knew that he didn’t have this project to worry about anymore. 

He thought back to his last attempt at dating. He couldn’t remember the guy’s name, but he was sure that the date hadn’t gone well. Either that or he’d gotten so caught up in his work that he forgot about him. He’d love to get out and meet people again, give the whole dating thing another chance. 

_Soon_ , he thought. He took another sip of his vodka. Hopefully it wouldn’t be much longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos give me life, y'all! <3


	2. Chapter 2

5 months later…

Steve walked through the doors of the _Artful Dodger_ as he had many times before. As one of the managers and a longtime barista before that, he was used to getting up in the wee hours of the morning to get to work. Months earlier, he used to walk in after sleepless nights and work just as he had before. Brock was an asshole, as Angie had said, but adjusting from living with his boyfriend to being single was hard, even so. 

The _Artful Dodger_ didn’t always feel like a job, really. Sure, there were times when getting up at 3 was tedious, but more often than not, walking through the doors felt like an escape. It was also no more tedious than taking iron supplements or having to remember to put in his contacts or hearing aids. It was just a part of his life, now, and it came with ups and downs as did everything else. 

When he was dating Brock, it was an escape from a relationship that left Steve feeling lonely and unsatisfied. Now, it was an escape from the reminder that he had allowed himself to be taken in by such a man for so long. There were no reminders of Brock here, no baggage or history. Steve had worked there before he met Brock and Brock had never visited him there in the entire time that they had dated. His security job had been in Brooklyn, so he never stepped foot in Manhattan unless he had to. 

The first thing he did when he walked in was buy his coffee, black with a shot of espresso made with the first batch of coffee grounds that they prepared for their earliest customers. The owner, Mikhail Maximoff, was an elderly man. His granddaughter, Wanda, was a little younger than Steve, but she was learning how to run the family business. She was also one of his roommates, which made life interesting sometimes. He was there every morning brewing coffee and making Russian baked goods and he greeted Steve like a grandson. 

“Steven!” he greeted enthusiastically. “Come, come, you are right on time! I finish first batch of pirozhki, you try some, yes?” 

“Good morning, Mikhail,” Steve yawned. He obediently took the bit of fried dough and took a bite. He moaned at the taste. “This is amazing, as always.” 

“Ah, good, you like, I know the customers will like,” Mikhail said happily. 

He put the pastry aside and retrieved a batch of kulich. He offered one to Steve and Steve accepted it. He preferred these, to be honest. It was Russian Easter bread. Easter was past, but Mikhail tended to make these no matter what time of year it was. 

“How’s your hip?” Steve asked as he tied an apron around him. 

“It is the same as ever,” Mikhail replied, putting a hand to it. Mikhail had sciatica in his right leg and most often caused pain in his hip. “I sit and it hurts. I stand and it hurts.” 

“I’m sorry,” Steve replied. “Here, let me make you a cup how you like it.” 

“Ah, you are a good lad, Steven,” Mikhail said. “You find replacement boyfriend for you, yet?” 

Steve didn’t miss a beat, but he did blush. He was too used to brewing coffee to make a mistake just because someone surprised him with a question. He put a dash of cream and a lump of sugar and handed it to Mikhail. He took his own coffee black. 

“No, not yet,” Steve replied. 

He didn’t add the fact that he honestly didn’t think that he would find another one any time soon. He had thought he was lucky enough to find Brock. Everyone else either fetishized him and wanted to make him fatter or dismissed him out of hand. Steve had only gone out a handful of times over the past year, but every time he did, it turned out the same. 

“You must be patient,” Mikhail declared before he sipped from his coffee. “You are still young man, there is still much time for you, you will see.” 

Steve laughed ruefully and went about preparing to open the shop.

* * *

Bucky walked towards Stark Industries like he did every weekday morning. He was early, disgustingly early. Like, 8 a.m. kind of early. Normally he came in around 10 and left around 7. It was part of the perks of being a genius and working directly under someone who was as lax on rules as Tony. 

The only reason he was even out at this time of morning was because his coffee machine decided to fucking break. Stark Industries had a food court for the employees. Outside Stark Industries, though, was a little coffee shop called The Artful Dodger that many employees frequented because apparently they made the best coffee around. Bucky rarely bothered with it before. He had a tendency to lose himself in his work. His sister, Becca, claimed he was a workaholic and said he should slow down, maybe go on vacation once his physical training was complete. 

_Maybe she’s right_ , he thought. _But when would I go? I can’t just drop everything and leave._

The problem was that the projects he was working on were all cutting edge technology. He practically drooled at the thought of improving the kind of technology used to give him his enhanced prosthetic. What kind of technological genius took vacations, anyway? Besides, Becca was hardly one to talk. She hadn’t taken any more time off from her job than him in the past few years. With the exception of holidays, Bucky was almost always in the office. 

He went inside and groaned inwardly. There was a line already. _Who knew there were this many people at Stark Industries this early in the morning?_ Bucky wondered. He glanced at his phone and began idly reading a science fiction book. A lot of his ideas came from sci-fi, actually. He still hadn’t figured out how to make a time machine, unfortunately, but the future was full of possibilities and the people who said it was impossible could suck his dick. 

Bucky was about halfway through his current chapter when he looked up and discovered he was at the front of the line. He stepped up to the front desk and one of the baristas stepped up to take his order. 

“What’ll it be, sir?” the man asked. Bucky looked at him and all rational thought flew out of his mind. All the calculations and designs that were running through the back of his mind paused as he took in the vision before him.

The man was… embonpoint. That is to say, he was pleasantly plump. Bucky eyed the curves of the man’s body, or as much as he could see of it, anyway. His shoulders were slim, giving way to a pudgy, sturdy body that rolled delightfully. Bucky could see his hand (correction, hands, that still took some getting used to) gripping the man’s curves and love handles, running down lovingly over the hills and mounds. 

Yes, Dr. James Buchanan Barnes, former Marine sergeant, part-time gym rat, and scientist at Stark Industries, had a major weakness for pretty, fat men. Sue him. Not exclusively, but it was a bit of a preference. Guys expected him to be into other strong, muscular, athletic sorts. While Bucky did see the attractiveness in guys like that and appreciated their looks, they didn’t do it for him. 

This man, on the other hand, was beautiful. Bucky could see himself wrapping the man in his arms and being full. He loved the way fat men felt in his arms. He was perhaps 6 or 7 inches shorter than Bucky with straight blond hair that covered the tips of his ears. His cheekbones were sharp, casting his face in graceful angles that drew Bucky’s eye to perfect, plump lips. Lips that were currently, drawn into a thin scowl. 

“Hey, jerk, my eyes are up here,” he said. Bucky glanced down at the nametag. _Steve_ , it read. Then Bucky jerked his eyes up to meet Steve’s. 

They were gorgeous. Steve’s eyes were blue and deep like the ocean. They flashed with irritation as bright light from the ceiling reflected off them like sunlight. Bucky smiled and leaned forward. 

“So they are. My apologies,” he said smoothly. He could have sworn that Steve blushed and Christ, it should be illegal for someone to blush that prettily. “They’re quite a fetching pair, too.” 

Steve’s blush grew, but he made no mention of it. “You gonna order or compose some poetry about my eyes?” Steve asked. “Because if you do feel poetic, you can get coffee or get out of the line and let someone else go.”

 _Feisty_ , Bucky thought. His smile grew. “Frappuccino, shot of espresso, please.” 

“And your name?” Steve asked. 

“Why? You asking for personal interest?” Bucky asked. 

“I’ll put you down as ‘Jerk’,” Steve said. He read the total and Barnes handed him a 20. He put a 5 in the tip jar before he walked off to wait for his order. 

A few minutes later, Steve came up to the side counter. “Jerk!” he called. Bucky chuckled and walked up to the counter to take his coffee. 

“Thanks, doll,” he said. He took a sip. It was damn near perfect. 

“I’m not a doll,” Steve protested. 

“Really? You’re pretty like one,” Bucky replied smoothly. He grinned in satisfaction as Steve’s entire face when red as a tomato. He turned around. “Take care, doll.” 

He was definitely coming to get coffee more often.

* * *

Steve definitely didn’t watch the jerk’s ass as he walked away. He also definitely didn’t watch the way the muscles in his broad, strong back move or study how the hint of silvery metal in his prosthetic arm caught the light. That would have been ridiculous and Steve Rogers prided himself on being the least ridiculous person he knew. Although, considering his friend group, that might not be saying a whole lot. 

At least Mikhail had left literally 10 minutes ago. The last thing he needed was for him to tell Steve how he’d told him so. It was bad enough that Peter and Darcy had been there to witness it. 

He moved on to the next order and pointedly ignored one of his more ridiculous friends, Peter Parker, who was practically bouncing around him while Steve tried to work. 

“Oh my God, dude!” Peter exclaimed. “You totally just got hit on by a super-hot guy! Tell me your secrets!” 

“He wasn’t hitting on me,” Steve mumbled. He fought to bring the blush brought on by his annoyingly fair skin under control. 

“What the hell are you talking about?” Peter demanded. “He straight up called you doll and said you were pretty and complimented your eyes. If that’s not flirting, I don’t know what is! Darcy! Tell Steve that guy was flirting with him!”

Darcy looked over from where she, unlike Peter, was actually working on a customer’s order. She smiled knowingly and laughed. 

“He was totally flirting with you, Steve,” she declared. “And if you’re not interested in tapping that for some stupid reason, I will.” 

“He was probably just teasing me or something,” Steve countered. People didn’t flirt with him. Steve, being bad at it to begin with, had had numerous misunderstandings in the past with people he’d thought were being flirtatious only to find out that they weren’t. They just “didn’t see him that way.” 

“There’s teasing, and there’s flirtatious teasing,” Darcy replied. “He was just straight up flirting. Would I ever steer you wrong, Steve?” 

“Yes,” he said matter-of-factly. 

“Touché,” she chuckled. She went to the counter with her finished order and called the name out. 

It was fine. He’d accepted it. Now, he was more annoyed than anything else. Really. The fact that his heart was racing was just because it was a busy morning. He took his completed order to the counter. 

“Karen!” he announced. A middle-aged woman who he knew for a fact was not named Karen walked up, rolled her eyes, and took the cup. Steve chuckled as she stalked off. They’d get her name right as soon as she stopped being a bitch to them. Okay, maybe not right away. There was a principle to getting people’s names wrong at coffee shops. 

“Dude, I get it, you’ve had bad experiences with people,” Peter said. “I’ve been there, too, but trust me, that guy was way into you.” 

“Whatever,” Steve replied. “It’s done. We’ll probably never see that guy again.” 

“Or he might become a regular,” Peter countered. “You’d have to learn his name.”

“Bold of you to assume that I wouldn’t keep putting his name down as ‘Jerk’ even if he did become a regular,” Steve said with a grin. “Now get back to work, I’m still your boss, even if I am your friend.” 

Peter laughed and got back to work. Steve smiled and shook his head as he returned to pouring coffee for the next person on the docket. He tried not to think about the way the jerk’s eyes seemed to shine with the spark of desire.

* * *

It was a few hours later just when the lunch rush had tapered off that Steve looked up to see the same annoyingly attractive jerk looking down at him. He glanced behind him to see who else was in line and was glad disappointed to see that there was no one else there. Steve stopped himself from studying the way the jerk’s mouth curved up in a charming, gorgeous smile. He forced himself to look at the man’s eyes, which were studiously trained on Steve’s.

“Here for the second stanza?” Steve asked. The man’s smile grew even larger. Steve’s heart definitely didn’t do a little dance at the sight. 

“Of course,” the man said. “You’re so pretty when you blush.”

Steve cursed silently as his face suddenly felt warm. He glanced away, looking over at some of the art that adorned the walls. Some of it was his, but most was from other artists in the area. It was also for sale and all the proceeds went to the artist rather than the shop. Steve, being an artist himself who started out as a barista to help pay the bills, got promoted to manager, knew how difficult it was to make a living as an artist. 

“Of course, you’re pretty when you’re not blushing, too,” the man continued. 

Steve didn’t have to look to know that was Peter smugly grinning while Steve took this guy’s order. He cleared his throat and grabbed a cup. 

“Same as this morning?” Steve asked. 

“Little more sugar,” the man replied. 

“Said it was perfect this morning, so I’ll just make it that way,” Steve pointed out. The man chuckled, his eyes sparkling with amusement as he regarded Steve. 

“You can be a little punk, you know that?” he replied, but he was still smiling. Steve found himself smiling back. Steve rang him up and once again, he was given a 20 and the man dropped a 5 in the tip jar. 

Steve rolled his eyes and wrote “Jerk” on the cup again. He debated just making the guy a black coffee just to mess with him. He grinned at the thought and did just that. When he called it out the guy laughed. He strode up to the counter, grabbed the coffee, and took a sip. He didn’t even blink as he grinned down at Steve. 

“Yeah, you’re a pretty little punk, ain’t you?” he said. Steve just shrugged. “I oughta talk to your manager.” 

“I don’t have one,” Steve said smugly. “Called in sick.”

“Is that so?” the guy asked. He leaned down into Steve’s space. “Then lemme speak to the guy in charge.” 

“I’ll go get him,” Steve said. He went back into the supply closet and grabbed his hat that read, “I’m the Manager, Suck It,” and walked back out. “You wanted to see me?” 

“Yeah, got a problem with one of your employees,” the guy said. “He’s a little punk, blond hair, gorgeous baby-blue eyes, and a bit of a mouth.”

“What’s your problem, sir?” Steve said very professionally. 

“Asked for a Frappuccino with a shot of espresso and extra sugar,” the guy replied. “Gave me a black coffee.” 

“I’m so sorry, sir,” Steve said with the fakest apology voice he could muster. “However could I make it up to you?” 

The guy chuckled. “Well… you could pass along a message from me,” he said. “That might make it better.” 

“What’s the message?” 

The guy grinned. “You wanna get dinner tonight?” 

Steve’s brain stopped. It froze, short-circuited, burned out, the-number-you-dialed-is-not-available-please-try-again-later, all of those things as he just stared blankly at this guy. He was still smiling that gorgeous, charming smile of his with lips that Steve really wanted to kiss and a cleft in his chin that just made his face seem that much more attractive. 

“Uh…” Steve replied. His brain wasn’t working efficiently enough to actually form a coherent reply. The man’s face fell slightly and the smile fell from his face. His face was coolly neutral, though Steve saw a hint of disappointment show. Not the disappointment of someone who got turned down and couldn’t handle it, but the disappointment of someone who was genuinely interested. 

Of course, Steve had been told many times that he had an active imagination. It generally happened when he had put himself out there with people in the past. He was either too fat, too effeminate, too shy, or too… much. He’d worn that face many times. 

He just never expected to see it on someone’s face about _him._

“It’s fine. Sorry to trouble you,” the guy said. He got up and started walking away. 

“Wait,” Steve said. It was barely more than a whisper, but the man turned around. “It’s just… unexpected.” 

“Guess I should’ve tried harder,” the man replied. Steve gave a nervous chuckle as a response. “So… would you, Steve, like to have dinner with me tonight?” 

“I—”

“HE WOULD LOVE TO!” Peter cried next to him. Steve and the man both chuckled at the kid’s antics. “What time you picking him up?” 

“I get off work at 5 today,” the guy replied. “You?” 

“I’m the day manager, so I get off when the night manager comes in,” Steve replied. “Which should be sometime around 3.” 

“How long is this place open?” 

“Past midnight,” Steve replied. “We serve alcohol once 9:00 rolls around. She handles the night shift.”

The man whistled. “Well then, I can pick you up at your place, if you want.” 

“I live in Brooklyn Heights,” Steve said. “That’s not too far out of your way, is it?” 

“Nah, I’m from Fort Greene,” the man said. “Can I pick you up at 8?” 

“Yeah,” Steve said quietly. He was quietly panicking, trying to figure out what the hell to wear to this date thing. When was the last time I even went on a date? Steve wondered. It had easily been more than a year. He couldn’t even remember what their name had been. “Should I… dress up?” 

The man smiled. “Nah, just wear something cute.” 

He turned around and started walking away. He was almost out the door when Steve realized that he didn’t know his date’s name. 

“Wait!” he cried. The guy turned around. “What do I call you?” 

“Bucky Barnes,” he replied. 

“Well, Bucky,” Steve said. “Sure you don’t want me to fix your drink?” 

Bucky smiled. “I’m fine. See you tonight.” 

“Sure,” Steve said. “See you tonight.” 

Bucky smiled and left the shop. As soon as he was out of sight Steve let out a huge sigh. He practically fell onto one of the couches. There were a few people around hanging out and looking at the artwork, but none of them paid him much mind. Darcy and Peter walked over to him and sat on either side. 

“So,” Darcy said. “You still gonna call him ‘Jerk’ when he comes in here?” 

“Fuck yeah, I’m calling him ‘Jerk’,” Steve replied. “Just because I’m going on a date with him doesn’t mean I’m gonna stop calling him that.” 

“But what if he’s nice?” Peter asked. “He seems nice. A lot better than your last boyfriend.” 

“Our used coffee grinds are better than my last boyfriend,” Steve grumbled. 

“See? It’s an improvement!” Peter cried. “You just have to find something to wear!” 

Steve groaned and covered his face with a throw pillow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The name of the coffee shop was totally stolen from a place in the town where I went to undergrad because I absolutely suck at coming up for names of places. 
> 
> Comments and kudos give me life, y'all! <3


	3. Chapter 3

Bucky burst through the door of his brownstone in Brooklyn and made a mad dash to his room. He didn’t even stop to talk to his neighbor, Natasha, who had a tendency to barge in by picking his lock. They’d known each other since before he left for Afghanistan, so by now he was used to it. They even had each other’s clothes at their houses because even though they were no longer roommates, they still spent as much time with each other that they might as well be. 

He didn’t so much as glance at her. He needed to get ready for his date and he was already later than he was expecting to be. It was a good thing that he took the Metro; otherwise, he might still be stuck in traffic. 

He tore his shirt up over his head and tossed it across the room. He wanted to look nice tonight and he had only so much time in which to get ready. He opened his drawers and looked through his clothes. 

_What sort of look should I go for tonight?_ Bucky thought. _Dark and alluring? Nerdy and cute? Charming and confident?_ Steve had responded reasonably well to that earlier. He should probably go with something like that. That would work. But what if it didn’t? What if Steve wasn’t really into that kind of person?

“Dammit,” he swore under his breath. 

“Where’s the fire?” came a voice. He looked up to see Natasha and her boyfriend, Clint, standing in the doorway. 

“Got a date tonight,” he replied. “Running behind on time and I got to figure out what my look is gonna be.” 

“Oh? Who’s the lucky fella?” Clint asked. “Should we give him the shovel talk, yet? When did you meet?” 

“Don’t you have something better to do?” Bucky asked. 

“Sure, I could be playing _Call of Duty_ , but this is more interesting. When was the last time you were on a date, anyway?” 

“Uh… a year, maybe?” Bucky replied. “My last date was before I really started working on the prosthetic.” 

Clint whistled. “Damn, man, you need to get out more.”

“Have I mentioned that I have a date?” Bucky demanded. 

“Bucky, relax,” Natasha said smoothly. “Where did you meet him?” 

“At the coffee shop next to Stark Industries,” Bucky replied. “My coffee maker broke this morning, so I decided to just go in and grab coffee on the way.” 

“So this guy is a barista?” Natasha asked “How old is he?” 

“Uh… not sure. Mid-20s?” Bucky responded sheepishly. 

“James Buchanan Barnes, how old are you again?” Natasha demanded. 

“36,” Bucky said. 

“You’re really willing to date a guy who’s possibly 10 years younger than you?” she asked. 

“He’s really cute,” Bucky protested. “And sassy. And he manages the shop, so it’s not like he’s just a barista. Even if he was, who cares?” 

“He’s a manager of a coffee shop?” Clint asked. “You sure this guy is old enough for you?” 

“Yes, Clint,” Bucky said, rolling his eyes. “He was very clearly in his 20s.” 

“Must be hell of a guy, then,” Clint said. 

“Guess I’ll find out,” Bucky shrugged. “Aren’t you two the ones telling me constantly that I need to get out more?” 

Clint and Nat looked at each other. Clint shrugged and Nat sighed before she walked over to him. 

“All right, what look are you going for?” she asked. 

“Something that looks nice, but is still casual,” Bucky replied. “Don’t want to scare him away on a first date and everything.” 

“I’m guessing you haven’t mentioned what it is that you do for a living?” she asked. 

“It didn’t come up when I was getting my coffee, no.” 

It took a few tries, but they eventually settled on a navy blue button down and a pair of black jeans. Bucky decided that he was going to take his motorcycle, so Natasha left to get the spare helmet from her apartment. By the time they were done, Bucky had time to shower and dry his hair. He decided to let it fall around his face rather than tie it back. He looked in his reflection in the mirror. He looked damn good, if did say so himself. 

“God, you spend so much time in the mirror,” Natasha groaned. “Get out there and get your sugar baby.” 

“He’s not my sugar baby,” Bucky muttered. 

“Not yet,” Natasha countered. “Buck, you live in a house with 5 bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms that you bought because you’re a history nerd with too much money on top of being a hot shot scientist at Stark. You _need_ someone around to fill this space.” 

“Other than you and Clint, you mean?” Bucky asked.

“Yes, other than me and Clint,” she affirmed. “If you becoming a sugar daddy is what it takes, then I’m all for it, but if he cancels because you don’t show up to pick him up, it won’t matter.” 

“Point taken, I’m going,” Bucky chuckled. 

He grabbed the helmets and the keys to his bike and headed out the door. It was 7:30. With luck, he would pick up his date on time.

* * *

Due to the traffic of the beginning signs of New York’s night life, it took Bucky nearly half an hour to actually reach Steve’s address. It wasn’t much. It was in an apartment building that was in one of the cheaper parts of the area. The outside was red brick and it looked decent enough. Not as nice as other parts of Brooklyn, but it was by no means a shithole. Bucky parked on the side of the road down the street from the building and walked to the door. 

Almost as soon as he knocked, the door opened to… not Steve. This was definitely not the short, chubby, adorable barista Bucky met earlier that day. This guy was tall, muscular, and black for one thing. Pretty, in a different sense of the word than Steve was, but not the kind Bucky personally went for. The guy looked at him and raised an eyebrow. Bucky frowned. He decided he didn’t like the guy. 

“You’re Bucky?” the guy asked. “Jesus, how old are you?” 

“Excuse me?” Bucky asked.

“Oh, sorry, it’s just that when Steve mentioned that he had a date he didn’t mention that you were…” 

“That I’m what?” Bucky demanded. 

“Old,” came the response. 

Bucky glared at the guy. “Look, I’m looking for Steve,” he said evenly. “If he’s not here and I’ve been had, just tell me and I’ll be on my way.” 

“Oh, yeah, he’s here. Come in,” the guy said. “I’m Sam, by the way.” 

“James,” Bucky replied.

“Steve, your date’s here and I think he’s gonna kill me!” Sam called into the apartment. 

“What did you do this time?” Steve asked from somewhere else in the apartment. “Wait, did you say he’s here?!” 

“Yeah, dude, he’s here!” Sam called. 

“Relax,” Bucky said. “I’m not going to kill you.” 

“That’s a relief,” Sam replied. “For a second, I thought I pissed you off.” 

“If I were going to kill you, you’d never see it coming,” Bucky continued. 

“This isn’t helping my theory that you’re a serial killer,” Sam said. Bucky just shrugged.

Steve’s apartment seemed… Bohemian. It was covered in papers and sketches and paintings, some of which were half finished. Others were just discarded as though Steve had given up on them. There was art and art supplies scattered on nearly every surface that wasn’t a kitchen countertop. 

Bucky paused at one picture. It was a drawing of a sunrise over some place in the city from what Bucky could tell. It was intricately detailed. The buildings looked delicate in a way Bucky had never imagined them before and the way the buildings were half covered in sunlight and half shrouded in shadow made it seem as though they were in the midst of turning to gold and Steve had captured the exact moment in which the change was occurring. 

It was gorgeous. Bucky couldn’t look away from it. _How long did this take to complete?_ he wondered. 

At that moment, Bucky heard a door open. He looked up and saw Steve emerging from one of the rooms off to the side of the living room. Bucky looked down and took him in. Steve was dressed in a black vest over a white shirt with blue edges and dark blue jeans. Bucky smiled at the sight. 

“Hey, doll,” he said. “You ready?” 

“In a minute,” Steve replied. Bucky noticed with a small amount of satisfaction that Steve’s face blushed again at the name. Steve shoved some shoes on his feet. “Do I need to worry about you killing my roommate?” 

Bucky shrugged. “Haven’t decided yet.” 

“Good enough,” Steve said. Bucky noticed a hint of a smile on the younger man’s face. He huffed a laugh out. 

“Excuse me, but what do you mean by ‘good enough’?” Sam demanded. “I’m just your best friend. You’d let him kill me?” 

“I’m sure you had it coming,” Steve replied. “Ready.” 

Bucky held out his elbow and Steve looked at it for a moment. He seemed surprised, but Bucky just kept looking at him with a smile on his face. After a few seconds, Steve smiled and slipped his hand through Bucky’s elbow and grabbed his bicep. Bucky led him out of the apartment. 

“Remember, Steve!” Sam shouted after them. “Bros before hos!” 

Steve laughed as they left his apartment. Bucky huffed in annoyance. 

“Jeez, what a jerk,” Bucky said. “Is he like that with all your dates?” 

Steve chuckled, though it seemed a bit lacking in humor. “Maybe a bit, yeah,” Steve answered. “Don’t mind him. He’s right, we’ve been friends since we were kids and he’s always kinda looked out for me.” 

“Kept you out of trouble, then?” Bucky asked. Steve laughed. 

“More like bailed me out,” he replied. “I used to get into a lot of fights I couldn’t finish and Sam used to save my neck.” 

“Somehow, I’m not surprised,” Bucky remarked. 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Steve demanded. 

“Just that you seem kinda scrappy,” Bucky replied with a laugh. “Not one to back down from a fight.” 

Steve shrugged. “I guess so,” he said. “So where are we off to?” 

Bucky grinned. “I know this great Italian place nearby,” he said. “It’s a Ma and Pop’s diner, so it’s nothin’ too fancy.” 

“Well that’s a relief,” Steve muttered. “Hate to be underdressed.” 

“Hey, if you were underdressed, I’m right there with ya,” Bucky countered. “You look real pretty tonight, doll.” 

Bucky grinned as Steve’s face broke out into another blush. It was astonishing how easy it was to get to him. Part of it was surely that Steve’s complexion was the most fair that Bucky had seen, but surely that wasn’t all it was. It was almost as if Steve wasn’t used to receiving compliments. It wouldn’t be surprising. A lot of fat guys didn’t seem used to it, in Bucky’s experience, but while they tended to laugh and brush it off, Steve seemed more shy than anything else. 

Bucky loved it. he immediately thought of what Steve’s face might look like if he was flushed with arousal, pupils blown wide with lust while Bucky ran his hands over Steve’s gorgeous, soft body as he sucked Steve’s dick. 

_Calm down, Barnes_ , he told himself. _No point in getting all hot and bothered yet. Don’t be that asshole who only has one thing on his mind._

He led Steve to his motorcycle and handed him the helmet. Steve looked at it uncertainly. 

“What’s wrong?” Bucky asked. 

“I’ve never ridden on a motorcycle before,” Steve said. 

“It’s real simple,” Bucky replied. He took Steve’s hand gently. “Hold onto me, ‘kay? Promise, I won’t let anything bad happen to you.” 

Steve smiled and put the helmet on. Bucky grinned and put his on and revved the engine. He felt Steve climb on the back and wrap his arms around Bucky’s torso. Bucky’s pulse quickened at the touch. He felt Steve’s body at his back. It was the other perk of motorcycles and Bucky was glad he’d decided to do this. Steve’s body was soft against the sturdy hardness of Bucky’s muscles. He loved it.

“You ready, doll?” he called. He felt Steve nod against his back. “Hold on tight!” 

He pulled out of the parking space and sped down the street. He grinned to himself as Steve’s grip on him tighter, the soft folds of Steve’s body pressing into his back. It felt right. It felt natural, like Steve belonged there. 

It was a wonderful feeling.

* * *

Steve sat across the table from Bucky at the Ma and Pop’s Italian restaurant Bucky took them to. His pulse was still racing. The ride on the motorcycle was absolutely thrilling. The entire ride to the restaurant, Steve was convinced that Bucky could feel Steve’s heart beating against his back. Wrapping his arms around Bucky’s body like that made it hot and intimate, too. 

Now, he was trying to decide what the hell to get. Eating around other people made him nervous. What if they were repulsed by how much he ate? He should eat less. But what if they became surprised by how little Steve ate and asked if he was dieting? He should eat more. But this was a date and what if Bucky, who called him doll and said he was pretty, changed his mind when he saw Steve actually eat? He should eat less. Then again, Peter and Darcy were both around Steve’s age and both more attractive than him and Bucky hadn’t looked twice at them, so maybe he really was attracted to Steve as he was. He should eat more. But what if Bucky was one of those creepy people who wanted him to eat until he was stuffed just to see him get even fatter? He should eat less.

Steve’s mind wandered in this sort of vein for several minutes. 

Fuck it, he finally thought. Even if it does backfire, I should at least enjoy myself. 

He put the menu down and realized that Bucky was smiling at him. Steve cursed his Irish blood for the umpteenth time that day as he blushed. 

“You know,” Bucky murmured. “I won’t judge you for eating if you’re hungry.” 

Steve glared at him for a moment before it fell. He looked sheepishly at the man across the table from him. “How did you know?” he asked. 

“I’ve dated a few men who were… pudgy,” Bucky replied. “I’ve seen the look before.” 

“So… this isn’t some novel experience because you’re looking for something different?” Steve asked. 

Bucky narrowed his eyes at him. “No, it’s not,” he said emphatically. “I prefer larger men. I dated guys who had bodies like mine and they’ve never done it for me. Even then, I didn’t date them because it was a novelty. I dated them because I liked them.” 

“That still leaves one question, though,” Steve pointed out. “We haven’t known each other for 24 hours yet, and we’re on a date. If you date guys because you like them, how do you justify dating me?” 

“Honestly?” Bucky asked. “Your snark.” 

“My snark?”

“Yeah,” Bucky replied like it was the most obvious thing. “You got a quick wit and a clever mind. The fact that you’re also my type physically is icing on the cake.” 

“Really? A food metaphor to describe your attraction to a fat person?” Steve asked. “Is this how you woo most of your dates?” 

Bucky just grinned and shrugged. “Would it work?” 

“Depends,” Steve replied. “Is there actual cake?” 

“There could be,” Bucky said with a grin. “I know a bakery up the street from here. Could get cupcakes for dessert.” 

“Just so you know,” Steve interjected. “I don’t mind that I’m fat, but I’m also not into people who get off on imagining me getting fatter. So if that’s what you’re into, I’m sorry, but it’s not gonna work.” 

Bucky grimaced. “No, I’m not into that,” he said emphatically. “I like fat guys, but I don’t want to change them at all just to make me happy.” 

Steve relaxed at that. Bucky must have noticed because his expression softened, too. He reached over and took Steve’s hand in his flesh one. His thumb rubbed over the back of Steve’s hand and Steve felt some of the tension in his body dissipate. 

“If you don’t want to do anything but eat dinner and talk, that’s fine with me,” Bucky said softly. “I just want you to be comfortable, doll.” 

Steve smiled. “Okay,” he said. 

At that moment, the waitress came by to take their orders. Bucky ordered the baked ziti with Italian sausage, while Steve got the chicken Marsala. The waitress apparently thought it was a great choice. 

“Could we also get some mozzarella sticks?” Steve asked. He looked hesitantly at Bucky, who smiled and winked at him. 

“Sure, doll, we’ll get some mozzarella sticks,” he replied. The waitress smiled as she left. “So tell me about yourself, Steve.” 

“That’s a pretty big question,” Steve said a bit bashfully. He took a sip of his Coke. “What do you want to know?” 

“Where’d you grow up?” Bucky asked. “How old are you?” 

“I’m 24,” Steve said. “Grew up in Brooklyn my entire life. My mom lives in Red Hook. She’s a nurse at New York Methodist.” 

“What about your dad?” Bucky asked. Steve glanced away before he answered. 

“He died when I was 10,” Steve replied. 

“Oh. I’m sorry,” Bucky said softly. Their hands were still touching and Bucky rubbed a soothing, callused thumb over the back of Steve’s hand. The feeling made Steve look back at Bucky. There wasn’t pity in his eyes, but kindness and sympathy. 

“It’s okay. It was a long time ago,” Steve said. And it was a long time ago. “Mom and I go visit the grave every year on the anniversary of his death. She goes on her own to visit him on their anniversary, too.” 

“Sounds like you really loved him,” Bucky murmured. “I’m glad.” 

Steve breathed in and shook off the feeling of sadness and nostalgic memories. He was on a date. This was supposed to be fun and light-hearted. 

“What about you?” Steve asked. “Any family to speak of?” 

“Oh, yeah,” Bucky chuckled. “My parents live in Indiana. I have 8 sisters.” 

Steve nearly choked on his drink. “You’re joking, right?” he asked. “How?"

"My parents are Catholic, against birth control, and apparently really into each other," Bucky replied. 

"Jesus... good for them, I guess," Steve said. "How do you even keep track of that many sisters?” 

“I don’t,” Bucky admitted. “I get half of them stuff for Christmas and the other half stuff for their birthdays.” 

“Please tell me you’re not actually that kind of asshole,” Steve drawled. Bucky laughed. 

“Nah, I just keep a list on my phone of all that stuff,” he said. 

“I can’t imagine having one sibling, let alone 8,” Steve mused.

“Trust me, you’re not missing much,” Bucky chuckled. “Family reunions are always fun. When half the family remembers everything and holds grudges and the other half is trying to get drunk, you learn to stick with the people you get along with.” 

“So who do you get along with?” Steve asked. 

“My first sister, Becca,” Bucky said. “She’s a history professor at NYU.”

Steve whistled. It was fancier than anything anyone he knew did. Sure, he was thinking of going back to school to get a master’s in art, but what would he even do with that? He barely knew what to do with a bachelor’s degree. 

“Is it weird having a sister who has a doctorate?” Steve asked. 

Bucky shrugged. “I have a doctorate, too. We give each other shit about our fields,” he replied. 

Steve raised his eyebrows. “Damn, really? In what?” 

Bucky grinned and leaned forward again. “Robotics in neuroscience,” he whispered conspiratorially. “My doctoral thesis was on developing lifelike prosthetics that can connect to the brain to move, feel, and function like a real limb.” 

If it were possible for Steve’s eyebrows to climb any higher, they would have. He glanced at Bucky’s metal hand, or rather, his arm. He’d felt it on the ride over. The entire limb was metal of some variety. Bucky moved with such an easy swagger that the arm itself didn’t stick as much. It seemed as though it was just part of his body. 

“I can see you itching to ask something,” Bucky said. There was an amused glint in his eyes as he regarded Steve. “Feel free. I promise I won’t bite. Well, unless that’s your question.” He finished with a wink and Steve blushed. 

_Damn the entire country of Ireland_ , Steve thought. _What I’d give for a less transparent skin tone._

Thankfully, the arrival of their order of mozzarella sticks gave him a brief distraction. There were 5 and Steve definitely noticed that Bucky took 2 on his plate and left Steve the other 3. Steve very pointedly took 2. He was hungry, but he didn’t want to stuff himself, no matter how much Bucky insisted that he found Steve attractive. 

“Do you want the last one?” Bucky asked as he dragged the end of one mozzarella stick through his marinara sauce. 

“Um…” Steve said. He considered it. Would he seem too fond of food if he ate it? Would Bucky be fine with it? Should he just wait for the food he ordered? But he really liked mozzarella sticks. 

“It’s okay if you want it,” Bucky said gently. “Or if you don’t want it.”

“Do you want it?” Steve asked. Bucky shrugged. 

“We could split it,” he suggested. Steve nodded and Bucky reached to the plate between them to carefully break the last stick roughly in half. He still gave the bigger half to Steve, though. 

“So what were you thinking about, doll?” Bucky asked. 

“I-I was just wondering… how long have you had that arm?” 

Bucky held up his arm and turned it this way and that. Steve saw how the hand caught the light, reflecting off the clear, smooth surface. The hand itself was smudged with pencil marks and fingerprints, as though someone spent a great deal of time touching it. Steve couldn’t blame them. It was a beautiful piece and the similarities it had to Bucky’s flesh hand indicated that someone spent a great deal of time and energy designing it to be as similar as possible. 

“I’ve had this for about… 6 months?” Bucky replied. “Started physical therapy 2 weeks after I got it. Still getting used to it sometimes.” 

“Does it… feel weird?” Steve asked. Bucky cocked an eyebrow at him. 

“Weird how?” he asked. 

“Like… I dunno, is it weird having a functioning arm again?” Steve asked. “I don’t know how long you went without one, so maybe it’s not a huge deal or anything.” 

“At least you come right out and say it,” Bucky said with a chuckle. “Most people feel like my arm is a taboo subject or something.” 

“Is it?” Steve asked. “I’ve never really met an amputee before.”

“For some maybe,” Bucky shrugged. “I went to therapy after I lost it, though, so talking about it is no big deal for me. Anyway, I had one arm for 10 years, so yeah, I guess sometimes it’s still weird to have two again. It’s surprisingly difficult to retrain yourself to use both hands once you’ve got the hang of one.” 

“I can imagine,” Steve replied. “It’s amazing, though.”

“You’re sweet, doll,” Bucky said. “Gonna make me blush.” 

Steve stared at his date sitting smugly across the table from him. It took a second for the sentence to really process in his mind before his eyes widened with realization. Bucky (who Steve was starting to think was a just a smug fucking bastard) grinned wider at the sight of Steve’s face. 

“You designed this?” Steve asked. “How? When? How long did it take? I thought you said you were a research doctor!”

“I’m an engineer, that’s how. I designed it about a year ago when my team concluded our research with the trial groups who received the prototypes,” he said. “It took a day or two. I am a doctor. I’m a doctor of neuro-robotics.” 

“Jeez, I can barely figure out what to do with an art degree,” Steve murmured. It begged the question: what the hell was this guy doing chasing after baristas who lived in a dingy apartment? Shouldn’t he be dating people who were smarter, more successful, or hell, even just older than Steve? Bucky was so clearly out of Steve’s league. 

Bucky regarded him for a moment before he reached across the table and took Steve’s hand. It was his flesh hand, Steve noticed. It was warm and smooth, but also callused. It had similar calluses to Steve’s fingers. They spent a lot of time drawing or typing or something. Bucky ran a thumb over the back of Steve’s hand. 

“It’s okay,” he said. “You’re still young. You’ll figure it out. None of us really know what we’re doing in our 20s anyway.”

“Says the guy who’s got a doctorate at… how old are you?” Steve asked.

“36,” Bucky said. “And to be fair, I didn’t actually start college until I was 24 or 25.” 

“What’d you do before then?” Steve asked. 

“I was in the Marines,” Bucky said. “Got deployed to Afghanistan, there was a car bomb. I lost an arm. Some guys weren’t so lucky.” 

“I’m sorry,” Steve said. “I don’t mean to dredge up the past. I mean, this is supposed to be a first date, right?” 

“It’s fine,” Bucky replied. “Honestly, I prefer talking about this than getting sideways glances while people try to find something to talk about other than my arm.”

“So I shouldn’t ask what your favorite color is?” Steve asked. Bucky guffawed. It actually took Steve by surprise considering their abrupt change in tone. 

“You could,” Bucky asked. “Just as long as you also wanted to talk about other things. I can’t stand small talk.” 

Steve sighed with relief. “Thank God,” he declared. “I swear, I always want to talk about actual things instead of, I don’t fucking know, the weather?” 

Bucky grinned. “Been a bit hot lately.” 

“Don’t you even start!” Steve almost shouted. Bucky laughed at Steve’s antics. Steve studied the crow’s feet that appeared whenever Bucky smiled or laughed. He was… beautiful was honestly the best word for it. Strangely enough, the longer Steve was around him the more comfortable he became. Something about Bucky made him easy to talk to. 

“So, Stevie, what’s your favorite color?” Bucky asked. “You’re an artist.” 

Steve raised an eyebrow. “How’d you know I’m an artist?” 

“I saw enough of your apartment to guess,” Bucky replied. “And considering where you work, I figure there’s a good chance that it’s you and not your roommate.” 

“Which one?” Steve asked. “I have three.” 

“The one that I met,” Bucky replied. “Is one of the other ones an artist?” 

“Sort of,” Steve replied. “Wanda’s a musician. Plays on a few corners in Brooklyn when she’s not working at the Artful Dodger.” 

“You live with a co-worker?” Bucky said. 

“She helped me get the job,” Steve explained. “Her granddad is the owner. She’s learning how to run the business.” 

“Good for her,” Bucky replied. “Also, you also avoided my question. What’s your favorite color?” 

“You figure out that you’re dating an amateur artist and your first question is what their favorite color is?” Steve asked. 

“Figured you’d have it figured out,” Bucky said with a shrug. 

“Jesus, there’s literally so many,” Steve groaned. He rubbed his face and glared at Bucky when he heard the guy laugh. “Right now, I’d probably have to say periwinkle.” 

“Aw, cute,” Bucky said. “Why that one?” 

“I’ve kinda been working with it lately,” Steve said. He glanced down at the table between them. He was usually hesitant to talk about his artwork with others, especially new people. Here he’d known Bucky for less than a day and he was already talking about what he did.

“Do you mind if I ask about what you’ve been working on?” Bucky asked. 

“Just… nothing special,” Steve replied. He cast his gaze down at the table. At least, that’s probably what his professors would say about his stuff. 

“I’m sure that’s not true,” Bucky asked. 

“I… I’ve been working on a series of paintings and sketches of the city,” Steve said. 

Really?” Bucky asked leaning forward. “Why that topic?” 

Steve thought for a moment. “Because… it’s real,” he finally said. “The people are real, the buildings are real, everything here is something that actually exists.” 

“Okay,” Bucky said. He trailed off. 

“My professors were really into art that didn’t look like anything,” Steve said. “Abstract, modern art, surrealism, stuff like that. They talked about some ‘hidden language in the art itself’. I thought it was bullshit.” 

Bucky huffed a laugh. Before Steve could go on, the waitress arrived with their food. They thanked her politely and as soon as she was gone, Steve launched back into his explanation. 

“I mean, what’s the point of art if only artists can understand it?” he demanded. “It kinda defeats the purpose of it, right?” 

“It does make it a bit hard to enjoy if you can’t tell what it is,” Bucky replied. “Of course, Stark Industries takes a minimalist approach to their work environments.”

“That’s even worse,” Steve declared. “A lack of stuff doesn’t cure someone of materialism. It just makes your surroundings cold and uninviting.” 

Bucky nodded. “So you prefer your art to reflect something real,” he said. 

“Yeah,” Steve said. “I mean, even if someone’s never been to Brooklyn, if they looked at something I drew of some place there, they would be able to tell that it was a neighborhood where people lived. It would mean something to them.” 

Bucky regarded him for a moment before he smiled. He didn’t say anything and Steve blushed under the scrutiny. He held his ground, though. 

“You’re a fiery little guy, I’ll give ya that,” Bucky said as he picked up his fork and began to dig into his pasta. Steve followed suit, scooping up bits of chicken and noodles with his fork. 

“Some people would call it caring too much,” Steve countered. 

“Some people are fuckin’ idiots,” Bucky replied. “You seem pretty smart. Don’t listen to those losers.” 

Steve chuckled. “Thanks.” He didn’t bother pointing out that he didn’t have a doctorate or anything like Bucky did. Steve ate until he was full. There was about half the plate left when he pushed it aside. Bucky looked between Steve’s plate and Steve’s face.

“You know, you don’t have to be shy about eating,” Bucky said.

“I’m not,” Steve replied. “I’m just full.” 

“You sure? We could get a box,” Bucky offered. 

“That’s great, but really I’m full,” Steve said. Bucky seemed somewhat surprised by that. He didn’t comment, but the way Bucky seemed preoccupied with Steve’s eating habits rubbed him the wrong way. 

“As long as you’re sure,” Bucky said. 

“Look, Bucky,” Steve replied. “You seem like a great guy, but if you really are one of those guys who likes fat guys because you want to get me bigger than I already am, I’m not interested.” 

Steve got up. Bucky reached out to grab his hand. “Steve, no, that’s not what I meant.” 

“Then what did you mean?” Steve asked. 

“Just that I want you to enjoy yourself,” Bucky replied. 

“I am,” Steve said. 

“Then we can go if you’re done,” Bucky said. Steve went to pay for his food, but Bucky held out a hand as he took out his wallet. 

“I can help pay,” Steve protested. Bucky raised an incredulous eyebrow at him. 

“What kind of guy asks someone out on a date and doesn’t offer to pay?” he asked. 

“I don’t know, the people I date generally aren’t as well off, I guess,” Steve replied. “Usually we split the bill.” 

“How romantic,” Bucky drawled. “I can pay, so I will. I aim to treat the people I take out right.” 

Steve didn’t say anything. He watched Buck place the money on the table along with a generous tip. When he was done, they got up and Bucky held out his arm like they were at a fine dining restaurant instead of a regular old Italian diner.

“So what now?” Steve asked. 

“Well, the night’s young,” Bucky said. “Figured we could go dancing.” 

“Dancing?”

“Yeah, you know, that thing that people do where they move rhythmically to music,” Bucky said with a sly grin. “Used to be really popular back in the day.” 

“You mean people stopped?” Steve asked. "Though these days it's more people grinding against each other than anything else." 

“Not that kind of dancing, doll.”

* * *

After walking a few blocks away, Bucky turned towards a building Steve had never noticed. It didn’t look all that special from the outside, but once they got inside Steve realized that when Bucky said that they were going dancing, he meant dancing. He meant dancing… with steps, not club dancing. 

Specifically, Bucky meant tango. Steve was struck with the nearly paralyzing fear that he was going to actually dance with someone. He would probably step on Bucky’s toes so often that Bucky would end up limping for the next few days. 

“I think you should know that I can’t dance,” Steve said hastily. “I have absolutely no rhythm whatsoever.” 

Bucky smiled down at him. “Don’t worry, doll,” he purred. “I’ll teach you. We’ll go slow.” 

“I’m going to step on every single toe at least once,” Steve muttered. 

“All of my toes have been stepped on before,” Bucky scoffed. “You won’t do anything new to them.” 

“At least you’re confident in my abilities.” 

Bucky led him to the middle of the dance floor where a group of people were gathering to begin the lesson. He didn’t pay all that much attention to the instructor. Instead, he focused on Steve and guided his hands to where they needed to be. Bucky took Steve’s right hand in his metal one. It was surprisingly gentle and not as cold as Steve expected. Bucky’s other hand snaked around him to settle in the center of his back. 

“We’ll go slow,” Bucky murmured again. “Keep your back straight.” 

“Well fuck, I have scoliosis,” Steve retorted. “Guess I’ll just hobble along, then.” 

Bucky threw his head back and laughed. It startled some of the other people who had gathered to take the lesson. Steve blushed as the attention turned on them. It was bad enough that he was going to step on someone’s toes, but people didn’t need to watch him do it. 

Bucky started giving him instructions. He told him where to walk, how to move his body. Steve only stepped on Bucky’s toes once, but Bucky just laughed it off. Bucky moved smoothly, responding to his movements with practiced ease. Even though Steve had never taken a dance lesson in his life, dancing with Bucky was easy and… surprisingly enjoyable. 

Once he got the hang of the couple steps that Bucky taught him, it was almost like he was floating. It was like he was having a conversation with Bucky without actual words. Their bodies moved in tandem, a silent harmony. Steve managed to become less self-conscious the longer he danced with Bucky. 

He had no idea how long they danced. When they stopped, his feet were sore. Steve couldn’t tell if he was breathless from the exercise or the way Bucky was looking into his eyes. Bucky’s eyes twinkled down at him. His pupils were slightly dilated. He leaned in and pressed a kiss to Steve’s cheek. The scruff of his beard scratched Steve’s smooth skin. It lasted several seconds before Bucky drew back. He took Steve’s hand and laced their fingers together. 

“I’ll take you back,” Bucky whispered. A ghost of a smile graced his lips as he gently guided Steve out the door and back to his motorcycle. 

Steve didn’t say a word the entire way back to his apartment. It was all he could do to focus on clinging to Bucky’s torso. When they arrived Bucky climbed off the bike and walked Steve to his door like one of those old fashioned movies where people didn’t just drop him off and drive away. 

“This is me,” Steve murmured when they arrived at his door.

“So it is,” Bucky replied. 

“I… uh, I had a lot of fun tonight,” Steve said. “I’ve never… never really gone dancing.” 

“I had fun, too,” Bucky replied. He leaned in to kiss Steve on the cheek again. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” 

_Huh?_ “You will?” Steve asked. 

“Yeah,” Bucky said with that grin. “I still gotta talk to your manager about the punk who gave me black coffee.” 

Steve laughed. He threw his head back and laughed loudly into the night. “Well, I guess I should get to bed. Got some jerk coming in tomorrow looking to complain.” 

“Can I get your number?” Bucky asked. 

“You text?” Steve asked he looked up at Bucky. 

“Course I text,” Bucky scoffed in mock offense. “Why wouldn’t I?” 

“Dunno, figured you might be a little old,” Steve teased. “Do you have Facebook? What about the Tweeter?” 

Bucky glared at him with a mix of mischief and irritation. 

“Yes, I have Facebook. No, I don’t have Twitter,” Bucky replied. “Just see if I friend you for bein’ a damn punk.” 

Steve chuckled and gave him his number. A second later, he received a text from an unknown number. 

**Fuck you, punk :P**

“Aw, you used an emoji,” Steve cooed. “Very good. Do you know what memes are?” 

Bucky rolled his eyes and turned around. “I’ll see you in the morning.” 

Steve returned the sentiment before he chuckled to himself and turned around and walked into his apartment. Sam was sitting on the couch watching something on TV. He looked up as Steve walked in. 

“There you are!” he cried. Then he smiled. “I was starting to think he convinced you to put out on the first date!”

“You know that’s not me,” Steve said. He couldn’t help his grin, though. He glanced down at his phone again. He almost saved Bucky’s contact under his name, before he grinned and decided to change it to Jerk. 

“Looks like you had a good time,” Sam said. “He treat you right?” 

Steve smiled and nodded. “Yeah, it was great. We went dancing after dinner. He’s really, really good at it.” 

Sam’s eyebrows rose as he grinned. “Well, I guess I can stop worrying for now,” he said. He clapped Steve on the shoulder. “I’m glad you found a decent guy.” 

“It’s just been one date, Sam,” Steve countered. He pushed past and went to his bedroom to get ready. He was about to settle in once his nightly ablutions were done when he received another text from Bucky. 

**Good night, doll :)**

* * *

The next morning, Steve was busy with the morning rush. He’d gotten up absurdly early in the morning to get here in time to start, but he didn’t care. At least Darcy and Peter were too busy to ask him about how the date had gone last night. 

Bucky didn’t show up, though. The morning rush tapered off to their usual trickle between midmorning and lunch. Steve tried not to worry. One date with a handsome stranger was not nearly enough time to get attached to someone. The feeling of butterflies in his stomach was completely irrational. 

Finally, at around 10:00, Bucky sauntered in wearing the same kind of outfit he’d worn yesterday. It was surprisingly casual for an engineer at Stark Industries. Hell, Bucky was better dressed for his date last night than he was for work. Bucky smiled at him as he walked up to the counter and leaned on it. 

“Sir, I’m afraid I need to speak to your manager again,” he said.

Steve was ready. He went to the closet and put on his manager hat and walked back out with a shit-eating grin plastered on his face. He loved this hat. He wore it every time someone asked for a manager over some petty shit. 

“Hello, sir,” he said in his fakest diplomatic tone. “What seems to be the problem?” 

“Got another issue with that punk from yesterday,” Bucky said. “You know him? He’s got this real pretty mouth that’s all soft and pink. Makes a man have certain thoughts, you know?” 

_That_ wasn’t what Steve was expecting. He pointedly ignored the way Peter and Darcy doubled over as they laughed silently, keeping his attention firmly on Bucky. 

“I’m so sorry, sir,” Steve replied. “What has he done?”

“Little punk called me old,” Bucky said. “Didn’t never apologize for giving me a black coffee, either, even after a night of dinner and dancing. Gotta say, I really had fun with him last night, too.”

“How can I make it up to you, sir?” Steve asked dutifully.

“You could pass along another message for me,” Bucky suggested. “Oh, and I could use a large Chai.” 

“What’s the message?” Steve asked. 

Bucky grinned. “What are your plans for next Saturday?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos give me life, y'all! <3


	4. Chapter 4

Steve was lying on the couch of his frankly dingy apartment staring up at the ceiling trying desperately to think about anything or anyone but Bucky. Of course, the effort to not think about the charming older man who had literally just dropped into Steve’s life automatically conjured the image of Bucky’s face in Steve’s mind. Steve smiled for about the 1000th time that evening. 

Going out for dinner and dancing was fun enough. Maybe his friends were right. Maybe he needed to get out more. Going out once was enough to make him crave more. Earlier today, he said immediately that he was free on Saturday which was probably insane. Generally he didn’t even think about a second date until he’d had a day or two to think about the first one. 

_Come to think of it_ , Steve thought. _Being insane would probably explain a lot._

“Gotta say, haven’t seen you smiling up at the ceiling since the early days of the unspeakable evil,” Sam said. Steve didn’t bother to look up. 

Sam was over in what passed for their kitchen making a big steaming pot of ramen. Between them paying of student loans, paying for rent, utilities, internet, and everything else under the sun that was about all they could afford at the moment. It was that or various forms of junk food. 

Steve himself bough groceries for himself once a week and it was always the same thing: a pot roast with a few potatoes, onions, mushrooms, and vegetables. It was one of the few perks of being anemic and having considerate roommates. Honestly, he tended to hate pot roast. He consumed it slowly over the course of a week for his health, but given the option, he would absolutely never have it again. It helped that Angie taught him different ways of seasoning it, but no matter what he did, he eventually got sick of it.

“You’re delusional,” Steve drawled. 

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Sam replied. “I must have been thinking about our other roommate who was taken out on a date in the last 24 hours. He’s the one staring at the ceiling with a goofy smile on his face.” 

“Yup, it’s that guy,” Steve said. 

“He must have gotten laid or something,” Sam continued. “Funny thing is that he says that he didn’t actually get any action.” 

“He didn’t,” Steve replied. 

“Must’ve been a hell of a date, then.” 

Steve didn’t say anything to that. He thought about Bucky being probably the first person that he’d dated who’d not only hadn’t been put off by Steve’s size and appetite, but had encouraged him to enjoy himself on his date. He remembered the feeling of clinging to Bucky’s body as they raced down the streets. The best part, though, was the dancing with him, Bucky leading him effortlessly through the steps of a dance Steve had never done in his life. He smiled again at the thought. 

“There you go again!” Sam cried. “Out with it, what happened last night?” 

Steve sighed and sat up. Same handed him a bowl of ramen and Steve took a bite. He fought down a grimace. He was getting really tired of this shit, but starvation wasn’t appealing, either. Bruce came out at the smell of food and grabbed a bowl. His mood seemed a bit more agreeable today. 

Bruce had bipolar disorder and he was starting to come out of a depressive episode. Steve and his other roommates were watching for signs of mania, which weren’t as severe with him as they were with some people, but still different from his usual personality. Once, Bruce had had a manic episode where he’d tried to get Steve to sleep with him, which was strange because Bruce himself was demisexual. It usually didn’t happen, but it was worth keeping an eye out for. 

“What’s going on?” Bruce asked. “Sorry, I was kinda out of it last night.” 

“Our little Stevie got himself a hot date,” Sam said. 

“Congrats,” Bruce said with a slight smile. Then he frowned and looked between them. “This is a good thing, right?” 

“I had a good time,” Steve said sheepishly. 

“He’s been smiling like a lovesick kid in junior high all day,” Sam declared. 

“Steve? Lovesick?” Bruce asked. “What happened?” 

“Nothing happened,” Steve protested, staring pointedly into his bowl. “It was just a date.” 

“A nice date,” Sam said.

“Yeah, okay, it was a really nice date,” Steve said. 

“Okay, so what did you do?” Bruce asked. 

“We… we got dinner,” Steve replied. “Nothing fancy, just a ma and pop’s Italian diner.”

“Uh-huh,” Sam said. “And what happened at the diner?” 

“He—well, he saw me deliberating over how much to eat,” Steve said. “And he said that he didn’t mind if I ate if I was hungry. It turns out that he’s into… guys like me.” 

“That’s good, right?” Bruce asked. “Like, that’s what you want from someone, for them to find you attractive.” 

“I mean, yeah,” Steve said. “I just didn’t think I’d get that far, is all.” 

“Dude, just because the unspeakable evil was an asshole doesn’t mean that every guy who asks you out is gonna be the same way,” Sam pointed out. 

“Thanks,” Steve replied. He slurped up some more noodles. “Anyway, after dinner we dropped our boxes off at his motorcycle—”

“He brought his motorcycle?” Bruce asked. “How did that go?” 

Steve blushed as he smiled. He remembered the feeling of Bucky’s hard, muscular body against him, solid and confident as he navigated the streets of Brooklyn. He remembered how his heart raced with elation and excited as the initial terror of riding the motorcycle faded away. 

“Nice, huh?” Sam asked with a grin. Steve’s blush grew. “Better than nice, by the looks of it.” 

“Shut up,” Steve growled. 

“Maybe he’ll fuck you on it,” Sam said, wiggling his eyebrows. 

“Really?” Bruce asked. “Right in front of my ramen?” 

“Yeah, shut up, Sam,” Steve said. “It was really great, just so you know.” 

“I knew it,” Sam declared. 

“I’m not telling you anything else if you don’t shut up,” Steve threatened. Sam laughed, but didn’t say anything else. “We went dancing after dinner.” 

Sam made a face. “Dancing? Like at a club?” 

“No, dancing, like at a class,” Steve replied. “It was tango and my feet are still sore.” 

“How long did you dance for?” Bruce asked. Steve shrugged. 

“I dunno,” he said. “I kinda lost track of time. Bucky’s a really good dancer, turns out.” 

“His name is Bucky?” Bruce asked incredulously. “What kind of name is Bucky?” 

Steve actually paused. “I don’t know,” he said. “He came through my line and gave that as his name.” 

“And you didn’t screw it up?” Bruce asked. Steve rolled his eyes. 

“Actually, he didn’t wind up giving me his name,” Steve said. “I put him down as jerk the first time.” 

“The first time?” Sam asked. “He came back?” 

Steve nodded. “Around lunch time,” he said. “Gave him a black coffee instead of his Frappuccino and he asked to talk to a manager.” 

“Shit,” Bruce muttered. 

“Said he had a complaint about someone, then proceeded to describe me,” Steve said. “Then he wanted me to pass along a message and asked if I wanted to get dinner.” 

“That was his message?” Sam asked. He whistled. “Damn, he must like you.” 

“Don’t know why,” Steve muttered. 

“Hey, you like him, don’t you?” Bruce asked. Steve nodded. “Then don’t second guess yourself.” 

“I know, I just… remember what happened with Brock?” Steve asked. “I don’t want that to happen again, you know?” 

“Steve, I get you,” Sam said. “Brock was a giant bag of dicks, but if Bucky turns out to be different from him, then it’s not fair to compare him to your abusive, cheating ex.” 

Steve sighed again, then nodded. “Sorry, it’s just hard.” 

“I know,” Sam replied. “No one blames you for being unsure, but maybe give this guy a chance before you write the whole thing off.” 

“Yeah, well, he asked me out again yesterday,” Steve said. That led to a pause between his roommates. 

“Already? Is he coming over? Bruce asked. Steve shook his head.

“It's next Saturday,” he replied. “He hasn't said what we're doing yet, just if I had plans.”

“Well, it's almost summer,” Sam pointed out. “Maybe he's gonna ask you to toss a ball around a park.”

Steve grimaced. Sports were one of the last things he was interested in, unless it was the Mets. That was the only team he followed. 

“Somehow I doubt it,” he said. “Honestly, I'm not a difficult guy to please, I think. A movie would be nice. Haven't been to a movie in months.”

“Movie theater popcorn is better than the store bought stuff,” Sam said. 

“Maybe he'll do something original,” Bruce said. “Like underwater basket weaving classes.”

Steve rolled his eyes. “Just because you asked someone out to that and she turned you down doesn't mean that it has to work for someone else,” Steve said.

“Yeah, but you've already gone out with him once and you're smitten,” Bruce pointed out. “If he asked you out to that now, would you go?”

Steve blushed as he considered the fact that if Bucky was the one to ask him out to something like that, he probably would say yes. He wasn't sure whether to think he was pathetic or desperate for that. Unfortunately, while Bruce was somewhat spacey and absent-minded, Sam was smart as a tack.

“See? You'd go and you know it,” Sam accused.

“Shut up.”

“Just try not to swoon on your date next weekend,” Sam said with a chuckle.

* * *

The Friday before Steve’s date with Bucky came, and while Steve didn't have weekends off most of the time, he did associate a certain eagerness and enthusiasm to Friday's. Darcy and Peter weren't working, but Ned, one of Peter's friends, and one of Steve's favorite workers, Dum-Dum were in. It would be an interesting day, if nothing else.

Steve didn't want to admit it, but he definitely was looking forward to Bucky's arrival, as he had the past couple mornings. Getting up at 3 in the morning to get to the shop at 5 wasn't the most enjoyable thing in the world to look forward to, after all. Anything that he had to look forward to was welcome. 

Bucky didn't show, however. The past couple days he'd shown up around 8, but the hour came and went with no sign of him. Steve didn't think much of it. He'd literally never seen Bucky at all until a few days ago, but he worked at Stark Industries. The morning crept on, past his break and past the lunch rush with no sign of him. There was a part of him that was disappointed by the fact that he wouldn't see him, though. Steve put it from his mind. Bucky had more important things to worry about and Steve had grumpy customers. 

2:00 finally rolled around and Steve sighed with relief as he clocked out. He came out of the back office and gathered his things.

“See ya, guys,” he said with a wave. He turned around to see Bucky walk in. He smiled in spite of his determination to be cool. “Hey.”

“Hey, doll,” Bucky said with that sexy, crooked smile. “Bad time?”

“Great time,” Steve said. “Just clocked out and everything.”

“Do you usually get off this early?” Bucky asked. 

“Well, I usually get in at 5,” Steve replied. Bucky grimaced. 

“Seriously? I don't even start working until 10 and I feel awful,” he said. Steve raised an eyebrow.

“10? Seriously?” he asked. “What is it you do, again?”

“Cybernetics research,” Bucky replied. “It's a cushy job.”

Steve whistled. It was the kind of job he couldn't imagine doing, but with the kind of pay that he dreamed about. With that, he could actually afford to pay off his loans, have a decent apartment with a shower that was big enough for him to stand in comfortably, hot water, and maybe even a car.

It was a pipe dream, but Steve could still imagine what it would be like. 

“No wonder you pay for the dates,” Steve said. Bucky shrugged.

“I like paying for my dates,” he said. “It's not a big deal for me unless I was taking them out to 5-star restaurants every week.”

Steve didn't mention that he'd never even looked at a 5-star restaurant, let alone had the money to eat there. He wondered if that was something Bucky did… ever. 

“Well, can't say that my stuff is 5-star quality, but I'm off the clock, anyway,” he said. 

“You have to leave?” Bucky asked. He looked hopeful and it made Steve pause.

“Unless I got somewhere better to be,” Steve said.

“Well, I was thinking I could take you out to lunch,” Bucky said.

“Our date isn't until tomorrow,” Steve pointed out. 

“So?” Bucky countered. “Who says we can't go on dates both days?”

Steve thought back to the times when Brock had said that he was being clingy for wanting to see him more than once or twice a week. That had happened after a few months of dating, too. It had only been after they moved in together that he had stopped saying those things, but then, he'd kept finding reasons to spend time apart so he could cheat on Steve. 

“Okay,” Steve said. “Not that familiar with places around here, though.”

“Don't worry, doll,” Bucky said, throwing his metal arm around Steve's shoulders. “What do ya feel like havin’?”

“I've never had Caribbean food before. Always been curious,” he admitted.

“Caribbean, huh? I know a place,” Bucky said as he led Steve out the door. 

Steve wondered if it was because Bucky was still used to using his right hand for everything or if it was just circumstantial, but he was able to get a good look at Bucky's hand. It was beautiful, really. The metal caught the light beautifully and the slots in the metal allowed it to move with grace and dexterity. The mechanics were probably beyond Steve's ability to understand, but he really wanted to draw it.

Bucky led him to a private parking garage, where Steve soon saw Bucky's motorcycle. He pointedly avoided ogling at the expensive cars that were way beyond what Steve would ever be able to afford. Bucky handed him the spare helmet.

“You just happened to have this today?” Steve asked. 

“I always have a spare,” Bucky said. “Never know who might need a ride.”

Steve smiled and put the helmet on. Bucky got on the motorcycle and the engine revved to life. Steve climbed on the back with significantly more grace than he had the first time and wrapped his arms around Bucky's torso. He smiled to himself as he felt Bucky's muscles tense as they pulled out of his spot.

As they sped down the street, Steve felt his heart race just as he had before. It felt like his fears and insecurities were left behind like dust on the asphalt. 

The city looked different through his tinted visor. Cars and pedestrians sped by as Bucky drove, weaving through traffic like it was the most natural thing. Steve marveled at his skill. He could only dream of being as coordinated as Bucky seemed to be in… everything. 

In no time flat, Bucky pulled over in another part of Manhattan that Steve had never seen. He didn't spend much time in places he couldn't afford. He wasn't that kind of masochist.

Bucky got off the bike with a fluid grace and took Steve's helmet. He handed it to Steve before taking his hand and lacing their fingers together. Steve glanced down at their enjoined hands as they walked. It was surprising, honestly. Brock had always been against public displays of affection, even something as simple as handholding. He almost couldn’t believe that he was actually doing this with someone he’d barely known for 48 hours. 

After a while, Bucky let go of his hand. Steve jerked his gaze up to Bucky’s face. 

“Why did you stop?” he asked. 

“I figured it was making you uncomfortable,” Bucky replied. “You kept staring at our hands.” 

Steve blushed as he realized that he’d actually done that for an unreasonably long time. He reached over and took Bucky’s hand back and laced their fingers together again. 

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I like it, I’m just… not used to it.” 

Bucky stopped walking and looked down at him. His eyes were surprisingly gentle as his metal hand rose up to tuck a stray strand of hair behind Steve’s ear. The metal was cool against Steve’s skin for the heat of the day and it sent shivers down his spine. 

“If you’re ever uncomfortable with something I’m doing, please tell me,” he said. Steve nodded and Bucky squeezed his hand and smiled as he kept walking. 

“How long did it take for you to get your doctorate?” Steve asked. 

“About 7 years,” he said. 

“Really?” Steve asked incredulously. “I thought it would’ve taken, like, a lot longer.” 

“I finished undergrad early and I did almost nothing else during my doc program,” Bucky replied. 

“Damn, that’s amazing,” Steve replied. Bucky grinned down at him. 

“What about you? You interested in getting a doctorate?” he asked. Steve laughed at that. 

“I’d need the money to go back to school, first,” he said. “Besides, my undergrad degree is in art. What would I do with a master’s in that, anyway, let alone a doctorate?” 

“I think you might be surprised at what a degree in art could get you,” Bucky replied. “Besides, just because you did one thing in undergrad doesn’t mean you have to that forever.” 

Steve stopped and stared at him for a moment. “Are you serious?” 

“Of course,” Bucky said. “Lots of people do one thing in undergrad and something else later on. College is sort of like high school these days. After a while, no one really cares how you did in undergrad.” 

Steve hummed. It was something to think about. 

“Did you always want to work with robotics?” he asked. Bucky hummed. 

“I mean, it was always something I was fascinated in,” he replied. “But of course, I had to go to Afghanistan and lose my arm first. I thought that I wanted to be a career military person for a long time.” 

“What changed?” Steve asked. Bucky raised an eyebrow. “You said you thought you wanted it. Were you having second thoughts before you lost your arm?” 

Bucky chuckled. “Did you talk to my therapist or something?” he asked. “Yeah, I was starting to get fed up with military life after a while. Bombs and gunfire and constantly wondering if you’re going make it out alive gets old after a while.” 

“I can imagine,” Steve replied. “I used to want to go to the army.” 

“I’ll forgive you for your bad taste,” Bucky drawled. 

“Shut up, jerk,” Steve said, though he chuckled as easily as if he’d been talking to any of his other friends. 

“What stopped you?” Bucky asked. 

“Was never healthy enough to do it,” he replied with a shrug. “My asthma didn’t wear off until I was 20, my eyesight is terrible, I’m partially deaf, and I’m chronically anemic.” 

Bucky whistled and looked down at him. “Really?” he asked. “I would never have thought that you were deaf.” 

“My ma’s job as a nurse came in handy,” he said. “She was able to get me to see a specialist. My hearing aids are pretty discreet, but if I take them out, I have a hard time hearing what people are saying.” 

“How bad is it?” Bucky asked. 

“I’m half deaf in my right ear and almost three quarters deaf in my left,” Steve replied. “I can read lips, though, and I know American Sign Language.” 

“Huh,” Bucky said. “Wow, I don’t think I’ve ever really met anyone who was deaf. Well, anyone your age, anyway.” 

“Yeah, I’ve met a few, but that’s mostly because of the support group I was part of when I was a kid,” Steve said. “And on top of all that, my metabolism is slow, so I’ve never really been able to achieve what doctors consider a healthy weight. So, turns out that I’m not an ideal candidate for the army.” 

“What do you do for your anemia?” Bucky asked. 

“I have iron supplements,” Steve said. “I also make a shit ton of pot roast. When money’s tight, I eat cans of spinach.” 

Bucky made a face. “You’re joking.” 

“I wish,” Steve chuckled. “My friends call me Popeye when it happens.” Bucky laughed at that. It was a nice, warm sound and it brought a smile to Steve’s face in spite of the fact that he was talking about his laundry list of health problems. 

“At least you get pot roast,” Bucky said. 

“Bleh,” Steve replied. “I dream of reaching a point in my life when I don’t have to eat the stuff.” 

“That bad, huh?” 

“I’ve eaten pot roast all week, every week, since I was about 10 when I got diagnosed,” Steve replied. “It got old, but what can I do? It’s the most iron rich cut of meat that I can get cause I sure as hell can’t afford steak, ribs, lamb, or goat.” 

“Didn’t think anemia was a chronic condition, usually,” Bucky said. 

“It’s not, usually,” Steve replied. “I got sick a lot as a kid. It screwed up my red blood cell production, so now I have to watch my iron levels.” 

“Well, I’ll be sure to make you something iron rich if I ever have you over to my place,” Bucky replied. Then he stopped. “We’re here.” 

Steve looked up at a restaurant labelled, _Caribbean Soul_. It was small, nothing overly fancy from what he could tell. Part of him was relieved. Going out to a fancy restaurant while he was still dressed in jeans and his work t-shirt that boasted stains old and new from working in a coffee shop didn’t sound appealing. This place looked perfect for just a lunch date, though. 

“Two, please,” Bucky said as they entered. The hostess glanced up and smiled at them before taking them to their booth. The restaurant was simple. The tables were a warm, polished brown against red pleather seats, and there were menus already at the table. 

“They have a great beef stew if you’re interested,” Bucky said teasingly. 

“Ha ha, you’re so funny,” Steve drawled. He couldn’t help the smile tugging at the corners of his lips, though. At least Bucky didn’t feel sorry for him. Steve hated people’s pity. 

He ended up ordering the jerk chicken with rice and something called callaloo, which both the waiter and Bucky assured him was delicious. Bucky got some outlandish thing called oxtail curry. Steve took one look at that and dismissed it out of hand, mostly because he got enough stewed beef on a daily basis. This was the second time he’d gone out with Bucky and he intended to take advantage of the fact that he could have things other than beef. 

“How long have you been working at the _Artful Dodger_?” Bucky asked when the waiter left. 

“About a year and a half,” Steve replied. “I started working there shortly after I graduated from college. Before that, I was a lowly barista at Starbucks. My manager now pays better and the benefits are decent for working full time, I guess.” 

“So I guess you like it there,” Bucky said. Steve shrugged. 

“Yeah, it pays the bills and it’s something I enjoy. What more can you ask for?” 

Bucky smiled broadly at him. “Do you ever hang up any of your art there?” he asked. 

Steve shook his head. “Feels like it would be wrong to do that,” he said. “I mean, I work there. I get paid by the shop. It’s not really fair to take advantage of that to also advertise my art.” 

“Conflict of interest, huh?” Bucky asked. “Some people would say that you could hardly be blamed for taking advantage.” 

Steve frowned in disapproval. “Some people are unethical and shouldn’t be in charge of anything,” he said. 

“That’s also true,” Bucky said with a chuckle. 

“I just think that if I’m working at the shop, then I shouldn’t be able to make a monopoly of the art that’s for sale there, too,” Steve replied. “Lots of us artists struggle to make ends meet, but that’s even more reason to not do it. I can sell my stuff on Etsy or Tumblr or Patreon or something just fine.” 

Bucky looked at him for a moment before he smiled. It wasn’t patronizing or condescending either. Brock used to tell Steve he was being stupid for not selling his art at the shop. Of course, Brock had frowned upon Steve making art in the first place until he actually started selling it. Bucky, though, seemed to be pleased by the fact that Steve cared about stuff like that. 

“You’re a better person than a lot of people out there,” Bucky said with a smile, reaching across the table to take Steve’s hand and rub a thumb across the back. Steve blushed at the contact. Bucky’s hand was callused against the smoothness of Steve’s own skin, a reminder that this wasn’t actually a friendly lunch. 

Steve found himself mirroring Bucky’s smile. He wasn’t a great flirt. He got nervous and second guessed himself and he was awkward with his body and his hands and he didn’t know how to say the right things and if he tried to flirt with Bucky he would probably fall flat on his face. Aside from which, Steve had gotten laughed at for trying to flirt with guys in the past, so he generally didn’t do it anymore. 

This was different. Bucky wasn’t just after him to satisfy some bizarre fetish fantasy about dating a fat guy. He was interested in Steve as a person, both as a sexual person and outside of that. Steve loved that about him. It was refreshing. 

“I’m really not,” Steve replied. “I’m just an average guy, really. I just… have opinions on things, I guess.” 

“Everyone has opinions on things,” Bucky replied. “But a lot of people dress up the bad parts of themselves as opinions like it somehow makes it better. You’re not like that.” 

“Well, yeah,” Steve said. “Someone’s gotta be the better man.” 

Bucky brought Steve’s hand to his lips and kissed it. It was dumb and cheesy and something that people only did in movies or books or something. And it made Steve’s heart beat even faster. Bucky’s lips were soft and his beard was scratchy and Steve immediately wanted to know what it would feel like on his body, if Bucky was into rimming at all, or just how Bucky’s mouth would feel against his body. 

Bucky was hot. Steve just felt hot. He swallowed as he blushed and smiled shyly at his date. 

“You’re so pretty when you blush,” Bucky murmured, which, of course, only made Steve blush more. He smiled though. 

“Thanks,” Steve said. “Y-you’re c-cute, t-too.” 

“Aww, that’s real sweet of you, doll,” Bucky said with a wide, sweet smile. “Better than calling me jerk.”

“Stop bein’ a jerk and I won’t call you that,” Steve said automatically. For a moment he thought that he’d said something wrong since Bucky looked at him strangely for a moment. Then Bucky laughed and kissed his hand again. 

“Don’t worry, I’ll treat you right,” Bucky replied. As soon as he said it, their waiter appeared with their plates of food. “Starting with this, now eat up. You gotta keep up your strength.” 

Steve actually chuckled at that. Normally, he hated people who tried to take care of him like he couldn’t do it himself, but it felt different with Bucky. It felt more like Bucky was giving him his undivided attention and that meant that he was looking out for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos give me life, y'all! <3


	5. Chapter 5

Steve was exhausted by the time he and Bucky finished lunch. The jerk chicken was delicious and Steve purposefully saved about half of it so that he could eat it later. Bucky led him back to the bike, a walk that was significantly more leisurely than the original had been. 

“Where should I drop you off?” Bucky asked as he put Steve’s leftovers in the compartment behind the seat. 

“Nearest Metro station will do,” Steve replied. Then he yawned. “I need a nap after that.” 

Bucky took his hand and chuckled. “Gotta stay awake a little longer, doll,” Bucky said. “Can’t have you fallin’ asleep on me, now can I?” 

“Be irresponsible of you,” Steve drawled in agreement. “Definitely not sexy.” 

Bucky smiled. “You think I’m sexy, do you?” he asked. Steve blushed and looked away. “Hey,” Bucky said, turning Steve’s face to look at him again. “I think you’re sexy, too.” 

That did nothing to help Steve’s blush. Bucky stroked Steve’s cheek with a thumb, gentle and constant. 

“I don’t want to wait for tomorrow,” Steve blurted out. Bucky smiled down at him. 

“Me neither,” he said. 

“You gotta work, though, don’t you?” 

Bucky shrugged. “Here’s the thing about being a hot shot scientist for Stark Industries,” he said. “We just finished a major project,” he held up his metal prosthetic and flipped the hand around for emphasis. “Now, physical therapy is a bitch, let me tell you, but the good thing about having a major project behind you is that work is generally less busy and mostly stuff that I can finish at home. So… what do you wanna do next?” 

Steve grinned, then yawned again. “Honestly, I don’t know if I can do something right now. I’ve been up since 3 and I’m tired, but… I dunno, maybe we could see a movie?” 

Bucky smiled. “Baby, we can do whatever you need to do,” he said. “You want me to drive you home so you can change and get some rest?” 

“I don’t wanna keep you or anything,” Steve trailed off. 

“Stevie, if I didn’t want to spend time with you, I wouldn’t spend time with you,” Bucky replied. “Trust me.” 

Steve nodded. “Thank you,” he said. “Home sounds nice.” 

“Okay, baby, I’ll take you home,” Bucky replied. 

The ride home took less time than his morning commute, probably because while the streets of New York could never really be called empty, they weren’t as insane and jam packed as they were during the morning and evening commutes. The city was much more enjoyable when people didn’t get the way everywhere Steve went. 

Eventually, Bucky parked his motorcycle and Steve dismounted. He walked up to the front door and unlocked it to go inside. He was immediately aware of the mess his apartment was in. Honestly, for a place he shared with three other people, it wasn’t as bad as it could be. The couch was clean, the dishes were clean, it was just that between his art, Bruce’s and Sam’s grad programs, and Wanda’s music, nearly every surface was covered in books, papers, canvases, and/or sheet music. 

Bucky graciously made no comment about the state of Steve’s home. He simply followed him inside and set the helmets down on the floor next to the couch. 

“Sorry about the mess,” Steve said as he put his leftovers in his section of the fridge, which was quickly becoming full. 

“It’s fine, don’t worry about it,” Bucky replied. “I remember when I was in grad school, my place with my roommates looked pretty much like this. We didn’t have any artists, though.” 

“How’d you know I had roommates that were grad students?” Steve asked. 

Bucky held up a set of notes and a textbook. “I recognize some of what this person is studying,” he replied. “Master’s level stuff, though it looks like they might be nearing the end of their graduate career and heading into doctoral level stuff.” 

“Yeah, Bruce is pretty smart,” Steve replied. Then he yawned and sat down on the couch. “By the way, I’m taking my hearing aids out, so if something happens, shake me to wake me up.” 

“Don’t worry, I will,” Bucky said, rubbing his back. 

Steve smiled shyly at the gesture as he also took his contacts out. He was now rendered mostly deaf and legally blind. Being disabled sucked. Bucky sat down on the other end of the couch and pulled Steve down to lay his head on Bucky’s thigh. Steve hummed contentedly as Bucky’s warm flesh hand rested on his head, stroking his hair gently. 

“Feels nice,” he mumbled as he curled up on the couch. Bucky hummed and Steve let the gentle caresses lull him to sleep.

* * *

Steve dreamed. Which wasn’t unusual in and of itself, but usually his dreams were about war or being a hero with a body that felt large and strong rather than large and flabby. They were also usually about losing. He would lose friends or family or people with faces that were vaguely familiar. People would get hurt or die in horrific ways. 

Brock featured strongly in some of his dreams. Sometimes Brock would be the one hurting him or his friends and Steve would arrive too late to save them. 

Steve once had a therapist before he met Brock who suggested that his dreams might be a manifestation of his own shame over his perceived weakness and faults. He figured that made a lot of sense. Ever since his dad died, Steve had been afraid of losing other people he cared about. It created an unfortunate spectrum with clinginess at one end and standoffishness at the other. 

This dream was different. It was a wide open plain with a single stretch of highway. The scene was empty as far as the eye could see. A clear blue sky hung overhead and tall prairie grass rippled in waves as the wind blew through them. 

It wasn’t a scene Steve had ever seen before. There were no telltale landmarks of his hometown of Brooklyn, no tall buildings standing tall and jagged to scratch the sky, no concrete or bustling bystanders. He was not alone amidst a sea of people, he was truly alone. 

Well, not _really._

“Hey, baby,” came a voice. Steve turned around. There was Bucky, leaning confidently against his motorcycle. Steve smiled as his heart thumped hard in his chest. The next thing he knew, Bucky took his face in his hands and kissed him. It was a dream, but Steve’s toes still curled. “Come on, Daddy has a surprise for you.” 

The next moment, Steve sat on the back of Bucky’s motorcycle with his arms wrapped around Bucky’s body like it was where he belonged. It took his mind a moment to catch up to the fact that Bucky had called himself “Daddy”. It made him feel warm and giddy and he smiled against the leather jacket. 

The landscape raced away as they flew down the highway, nothing between them and the horizon. Maybe they were actually flying, maybe they weren’t, he couldn’t tell, but it made him feel freer than he ever had in his life.

* * *

Bucky Barnes stared down at Steve’s sleeping face. He kept stroking Steve’s hair even while he slept. He loved the softness of it, like the rest of his body. Steve was beautiful when he was awake. Asleep, he was even more so, especially on Bucky’s lap. It satisfied some simple creature comfort thing in him, having a pretty man in his lap, curled up and warm and adorable. 

Steve stirred something in him. It wasn’t just sexual, though Bucky wanted very much to do some very dirty things to this pretty boy. Steve was a fascinating mix of sassiness and softness. He was snarky and cheeky one minute and the next he shy and uncertain. Bucky wanted nothing more than to wrap his arms around Steve and hug him close. Well, that and a few other things. 

It had been about an hour since Steve drifted off to sleep. Bucky hadn’t moved at all, which was strange. Normally, taking an afternoon off made him antsy until he got out a laptop or something and got something done. Today, all Steve had had to do was pout and ask to spend more time with Bucky and he’d said yes. Even if it was something as simple as cuddling, a nap, and a movie later, Bucky loved it. 

The door to the apartment opened. Bucky looked up as Steve stirred on his lap. In the kitchen was a striking woman with long red hair walked in. She looked a bit younger than Steve, but honestly, it was getting difficult to differentiate the ages of people who were in their early 20s. Bucky held up a finger to his lips and nodded down at Steve. She nodded in realization and held out a hand. 

“Wanda,” she whispered. “Good to meet you.” 

“Bucky,” he replied. “You’re the musician.” 

“Ah, he told you about me,” she replied with a smile. “Yes, I’m the other artist in the house.”

“It’s good to meet you, Wanda,” he whispered politely. She smiled. 

“Just one more question,” she said. “How old are you, exactly?” 

“36.” 

Her eyebrows shot up, but she made no comment as she walked off. Bucky shrugged. No doubt his family would have a similar reaction if/when they found out. Hell, Natasha and Clint had been surprised to hear about his newfound interest. He didn’t mind, even if the idea of dating a younger man was cause for concern. 

What if he moved too quickly? What if he inadvertently took advantage of Steve’s inexperience? What if Steve wasn’t ready for what Bucky was looking for? 

Strangely, the “what if” regarding Bucky’s financial success didn’t bother him quite as much. Steve’s attitude towards him hadn’t changed at all when he found out that Bucky was rich and successful. It was a breath of fresh air, really. Bucky had dated plenty of guys in the past who wanted nothing other than his wallet once they found out. Even people who wouldn’t look past his once stump of an arm were suddenly interested when they found out he was rich. 

Steve had simply let it slide. He obviously liked being pampered, being taken out and having a good time, but he didn’t seem interested in taking advantage of Bucky. It made Bucky want to spoil the kid, to shower him in expensive art, food, clothes, whatever it was that Steve wanted. 

Steve curled up closer to Bucky, burying his face in Bucky’s shirt. Bucky smiled down at him and resumed stroking Steve’s hair. Steve hummed contentedly. Bucky’s heart melted as he saw a sleepy little smile on Steve’s face. Then, Steve’s hum turned unexpectedly into a moan. It was definitely a moan, and definitely not the innocent kind. Bucky couldn’t help but find the sound kind of hot as he felt his cock twitch in his pants.

 _Good thing he’s sleeping on my thigh and not my crotch_ , he thought. He couldn’t help but wonder what it was Steve was dreaming about to make him make those sounds. Despite his best intentions, Bucky committed those sounds to memory for… later. 

No, it wasn’t exactly fair, but if Bucky had his way, Steve would be making a lot more of those sounds in the future. He pushed that thought aside before his cock got uncomfortably hard. 

He distracted himself by pulling up his emails. There was one email from his Tony congratulating him on playing hooky for once (why his boss would be glad for such a thing was beyond him). Helen Cho, who was almost as much of a workaholic as he was, was apparently pleased, as well. Shuri promised not to tell anyone, which probably meant that she had already told everyone else. Aside from that, he had some underlings who had submitted reports or something that he would take a look at later. 

He also had a couple texts from Natasha, something a new case coming up and that she would be busier from now on. How he had managed to be busier than a detective in New York City, he had no idea. How he had let a detective lecture him on work-life balance months ago was an even bigger question. 

Then again, Natasha and Clint had been dating steadily for 3 years, now and they’d made it work, busy schedules and all. Then again, Clint was a pretty laid back guy and his job wasn’t nearly as demanding as theirs. He was a YouTuber. He ran vlogs about videogames, movie reviews (especially each and every movie that even thought about featuring archery), and very occasionally, cooking, which he was extremely bad at. Once when the three of them were in college, they’d tried to make s’mores and Clint had burned his entire sandwich and his fingers trying to toast the whole thing at once. 

Slowly, Steve started to stir, nuzzling Bucky’s stomach as he started to come awake. Bucky thought very diligently of things other than what the sight could obviously mean, like prosthetics. Steve had resurrected his once defunct libido and lately it seemed like it was all he could do keep himself from being constantly aroused when he was around him. 

Steve blinked his eyes open and looked up at him through squinty eyes before he smiled. 

“Morning,” he groaned softly as he came awake. “Can you pass me my hearing aids?”

Bucky nodded and leaned over to pluck the hearing aids off the coffee table. Steve put them in and hummed. 

“There, now I can hear you,” Steve said. “You stayed.” 

“Course I stayed,” Bucky replied. “Why would I leave?” 

“To find something more comfortable,” Steve replied with a shrug. It was curious. He’d only known Steve for a little more than a week, but every time he did something decent for him, Steve acted surprised, as though he didn’t expect that sort of treatment. He draped an arm over Steve’s body and rubbed at the small of his back. 

“Don’t wanna be nowhere else,” he replied. He stroked Steve’s face with his metal thumb, marveling in the fact that he really could feel the warmth and softness of Steve’s face. “I’ll stay right here until you’re ready to go.” 

“I’m ready to find my glasses,” Steve mumbled. 

“I can get them for you,” Bucky offered. “Do you know where they are?” 

Steve looked like he was going to protest, but then thought better of it and relaxed. 

“It should be in my room, second door on the left, in the top left desk drawer,” Steve replied. 

Bucky took one of Steve’s hands and kissed it again. He loved the softness of the back of Steve’s hand that contrasted to the artist calluses of his long fingers. He also loved how much Steve blushed when he did it. 

“Be right back, doll,” he said. “You sit tight, now.” 

Steve chuckled. “Yes, sir,” he murmured as he sat up. There was a glint in his eye as he said the words and his tone was playful. Steve filed that information away for later. He wouldn’t’ get his hopes up, but if Steve happened to be into that sort of thing, it would be very, very good to know. 

He got up and walked down the hall. When he opened the indicated door, he looked around at the room. It was organized chaos from what he could tell. Art supplies were placed somewhat haphazardly around half the room. There was paint, but also pencils, both colored and graphite. There were canvases and papers in equal measure just like the rest of the house. 

None of the paintings seemed finished, though. It was curious. Bucky found the one Steve was talking about last week, an unfinished painting of a scene in Brooklyn. Bucky was sure he recognized it, but he couldn’t tell from where. He’d been in Brooklyn since he started college. 

He walked over to the desk and opened the top left drawer. Sure enough, there was a glasses case. He returned to the living room and handed the case to Steve. He took them out and placed them on his nose. They were a pair of Ray-Ban with fairly thick lenses. Steve looked dashing in them. 

“Oh, baby, you look so handsome,” Bucky purred, reaching out a hand to caress Steve’s face. Steve blushed prettily and Bucky smiled. “You ready to go?” 

“Are you kidding?” Steve asked as he stood. “I want to at least change out of my work clothes.”

“At least I get to watch your ass,” Bucky said with a smile. 

“Don’t tease,” Steve scolded. 

“It wasn’t teasing, it was the truth,” Bucky countered. He laid his hands lightly on Steve’s hips. “Like watchin’ your ass, doll.” 

Steve’s face turned an even darker shade of red than before, encompassing his entire face and creeping down his neck. Bucky wanted very much to know just how extensive Steve’s blush could become, if it could cover his entire torso. He added to the growing list of things he wanted to know about his body. 

Steve walked away and Bucky chuckled to himself as he watched Steve’s deliciously round ass until it turned the corner. At that moment, the front door opened. Bucky turned as Sam walked into the room. Sam looked at him dubiously. 

“Didn’t think I’d see you again so soon,” Sam said. 

“Charmed,” Bucky drawled. He glared at Sam. He liked Steve and he could understand Sam’s protectiveness, but something about him rubbed Bucky the wrong way. 

“No, just meant that I thought you had a date with him tomorrow,” Sam clarified. 

“Yeah, we do,” Bucky said simply. 

“Look,” Sam sighed. “I’m sorry, all right? I just have some concerns.” 

Bucky stared at Sam for a moment before he sighed. “All right, what concerns?” he asked. 

“I just want to be sure that you’re treating him right,” Sam said. 

“Is this the shovel talk?” Bucky asked. 

“Yes, it is,” Sam replied firmly. “Because Steve’s a good guy and he deserves someone who’ll appreciate him like he deserves. If you aren’t the sort of person to give him that, then just leave him alone now instead of down the line.” 

“What kind of person do you take me for, exactly?” Bucky demanded. “If I was only interested in using Steve, I would’ve said as much.” 

“You say that, but I don’t know you that well,” Sam retorted. “Neither does Steve. The last thing he needs is a broken heart.” 

“Listen,” Bucky said as he stood. He took advantage of his broad frame and metal prosthetic as he crossed his arms. “I will end whatever is going on between me and Steve when Steve decides he’s finished with me. You can either take my word for it or get the hell out of my way.” 

“No need,” Sam replied. “Just know that I’m looking out for him. You _are_ older than we would expect you to be.” 

“It’s true, I’m a bit older than him,” Bucky replied. “But trust me, I have no ulterior motive beyond wanting to get to know him better.” 

“As long as it stays that way,” Sam replied. “If you hurt him, there’ll be hell to pay.” 

Bucky scoffed and turned around to see Steve standing in the doorway. He was dressed in light grey V-neck and black pants. The shirt hugged his body in a way that made it seem almost too small. It highlighted Steve’s rolls, the soft plains of his body, and the roundness of his belly. Bucky wanted to run his hands over him so badly. Something must have shown on his face because Steve blushed again. 

“Hey, doll, you look so pretty,” he purred. He walked over and put his hands on his hips. He pulled Steve against him and wrapped his arms around his body, relishing the way Steve felt in his embrace. 

“T-Thanks,” Steve said with a shy smile. “You look good, too.” 

“Me? Nah, I’ve been in these same old rags all day,” Bucky said. “You? You look so good like this, so handsome and smart.” 

Steve smiled like it was Christmas and Bucky let him go and offered him his elbow. Steve took it and flashed another grateful smile at Sam. 

“I appreciate it, Sam,” he said. Bucky looked down at him. He was missing something here, but he wasn’t going to pry into Steve’s past just to satisfy his own curiosity and offense at what would otherwise be a perfectly normal line of questioning. 

“You guys have fun, okay?” Sam said, as he walked off to the same room that Steve had just come out of. Once the door was closed, Bucky looked down at Steve again. 

“You ready to head out?” he asked. Steve nodded and Bucky walked him to the door. 

“Those things you said,” Steve said as soon as they were outside. “You weren’t… saying them just for show, were you?” 

Bucky sighed. “Guess you heard a bit of what we were talking about,” he replied. “No, I wasn’t complimenting you just to show Sam that I’m not trying to get into your pants.” 

“You’re not?” Steve asked. There was a light, mischievous light in his eyes and Bucky laughed. “Damn, cause I was definitely hoping for something.” 

“Were you, now?” Bucky asked. “Maybe I could take you over to my place and we could… what do you kids call it? Netflix and chill?” 

“Oh my God,” Steve laughed. 

“Don’t tease me, I’m an old man,” Bucky retorted playfully. He threw his voice into a wheeze. “I’m just a lecherous old kook and just want a boy to take care of me in my golden years.” 

“Maybe we shouldn’t fuck,” Steve said with that cheeky smile. “Your heart might not be up for that kind of workout.” 

“Ouch,” Bucky cried wheezily. “My heart, crushed, scorned by my young, beautiful lover’s cruel, cruel words.” 

Steve laughed. It was a beautiful, deep, free sound. Bucky looked at the way his face creased with laugh lines and how Steve’s eyes danced with delight. It was a wonderful sight. 

“So, what are we watching?” Steve asked. “Assuming you can stay awake for the whole movie.” 

“Don’t know,” Bucky replied. “I don’t actually keep track of what movies are out. Never really had time to watch them much.” 

“Never had time, or never made time?” Steve asked with a raised eyebrow. Bucky coughed. “You work too much.” 

“Yeah, yeah, I took this afternoon off for ya, ya know,” Bucky replied. 

“I know,” Steve replied, moving closer to Bucky’s body. Bucky smiled and threw his arm around Steve’s shoulders. “Thanks for that, by the way. It’s been a while since I could just have fun.” 

Bucky bit back a comment that Steve was too young to have gotten old. He was hardly one to talk. When he was Steve’s age, he’d lost an arm and spent a year in physical therapy and counseling. The counseling continued for a while, but thankfully the physical therapy ended. Either way, it took Bucky a long time to have fun and be carefree again. 

“That settles it,” Bucky declared. “Tonight, we’ll watch something fun. No documentaries, no tragedies, just something fun.”

“Will there be popcorn?” Steve asked. 

“What do ya take me for?” Bucky demanded. “Of course there’ll be popcorn!” 

Steve laughed again as they reached Bucky’s motorcycle. The ride to the movie theater was much shorter than Bucky would have wanted. He loved the feeling of Steve’s body at his back, the soft tremble of quiet excitement before the engine started followed by Steve’s arms squeezing tightly around him as they flew down the streets.

“See anything you like, doll?” Bucky asked. Steve scanned the lineup before his eyes lit up with excitement. 

“We should see the Han Solo movie!” he said. 

“Star Wars? I had you pegged as a trekkie,” Bucky replied with a smile. 

“Well, yeah, Chris Pine is gorgeous,” Steve replied. “And Zachary Quinto, but it’s Star Wars! Everyone loves Star Wars!”

Bucky shrugged. “It’s all right,” he said. “Not really my thing when it comes to sci-fi, though.” 

Steve glared up at him playfully. “If you don’t like Star Wars, this relationship isn’t gonna work.”

Bucky grinned down at Steve. “Relationship, you say?” 

Steve blushed and looked down. “Sorry.” 

“Hey,” Bucky said, tucking a finger under Steve’s chin and pulling his face up to look at him. “Why’re you sorry?” 

Steve swallowed. “Just… it’s a little soon, right?”

“Depends,” Bucky said softly. “Do you like me?” 

Steve nodded. “Yeah,” he said softly. Bucky smiled and kissed Steve on his forehead. It was soft and he kept his lips there for a moment before pressing his forehead against Steve’s. 

“I like you, too, Steve,” he said. “I like you a whole lot.” 

“But, we’ve known each other for like, a week!” Steve protested. 

“So?” Bucky asked. “I like you, Steve, but if you need us to slow down, we can do that.” 

“No!” Steve said, then he blushed. “I-I just mean… I like it, now.” 

Bucky smiled. “I like it now, too, baby,” he said. Steve smiled. 

“Okay.” 

“Okay,” Bucky echoed. He kissed Steve’s forehead again and turned around and slung his metal arm over Steve’s shoulders. When Steve didn’t move away from him, but instead moved closer, Bucky smiled and kept it there. “So, Han Solo?” 

“Yeah, Alden Ehrenreich is hot,” Steve said. Bucky glanced down and raised an eyebrow at him. 

“He is?” Bucky asked. 

“Yeah, you know, tall, dark, and handsome,” Steve said. “He’s pretty much my type.” 

“I’ll try not to get jealous,” Bucky drawled. “You probably like Bruce Wayne, too.” 

“What’s not to like about Batman?” Steve asked. “I prefer Clark Kent, though.” 

“Really?” 

“Yeah, he’s nice and polite and everything, but when you turn your back, he becomes a superhero and no one can beat him,” Steve explained. “I kinda relate to that.” 

“Weird,” Bucky said. Steve scowled up at him. Bucky smirked and ignored him as he paid for their tickets. 

“Why’s that weird?” Steve demanded when they got in line for concessions. 

“Well, because I’ve known you for a whole week,” Bucky said. “And I wouldn’t say you were polite. I’d say you were snarky and sassy and a punk.” 

“I was nice to the waiters,” Steve protested.

“Yeah, but you were a little shit to me,” Bucky replied with a chuckle. Steve just smirked up at him. 

“Well, you liked it,” he replied. “Enough that you kept coming back. And you keep leaving good tips and taking me out. Does that make you my sugar daddy?” 

Steve laughed, but Bucky’s heart skipped a beat at the word “daddy”. His breath hitched and Steve must have heard because he looked up at Bucky. His face was a mix of apprehension and a little bit of arousal. Bucky became keenly aware of the fact that they were in a public space and while he certainly wasn’t uncomfortable talking about or even having sex in public, that didn’t mean that Steve was as comfortable.

“Um…” Steve said with a blush overtaking his face. Bucky couldn’t help feeling… hungry as he gazed at Steve. If Steve was into this… Bucky would probably die. He reached up to cup Steve’s face and stroked his cheek with a thumb, trailing down to Steve’s plump, delicious lips. “Fuck, Bucky.” 

“We don’t gotta talk about it right now,” Bucky said, letting his hand fall away. “We can talk about it later, if you want.” 

Steve just nodded. Bucky took Steve’s hand in his and laced their fingers together as they stepped up to the counter. Whatever happened later, he would at least do his damnedest to make sure Steve had a good time tonight.

* * *

“That was such a good movie!” Steve exclaimed when they left the theater. Bucky smiled at how happy Steve seemed. “God, I’m so glad we came out to this! I love movies.” 

“You do, huh?” Bucky asked. 

“Yeah, I just never have the money to go see them, you know?” Steve asked. “Which isn’t a huge issue, I stream them online somewhere, usually, but seeing them on the big screen and having movie theater popcorn is so much better than huddling with three roommates on a couch to watch a movie on a tiny laptop and shitty internet.” 

Bucky grimaced. “I believe it,” he said. 

The thought conjured semi-traumatic memories of his undergrad days of boarding with roommates who were frankly garbage and constantly tried to get him to go out to loud parties and tended to try and explode things for fun. It definitely inhibited his efforts to get over the trauma of what happened to him in Afghanistan. 

“So what do you wanna do, now?” Bucky asked. 

“Anything but go back,” Steve replied. 

“Well if you’re interested, we could go to…” Bucky trailed off as he looked down and saw that Steve was no longer with him. He looked around a bit frantically before he noticed a back alley nearby.

“Hey! What do you think you’re doing?!” he heard Steve shout. Fuck, Bucky thought. He ran over and looked down the alley… just in time to see Steve get decked across the face and stumble down to the ground. A woman grabbed her purse and ran out and Bucky ran forward. He saw a flash of steel and his instincts kicked into gear. 

“HEY!” he shouted. “Pick on someone your own size!”

“He came at us first!” the mugger yelled. “He’s gonna learn a lesson, now!” 

Before the guy could move, Bucky lunged forward and grabbed the blade of the knife in his hand, his metal hand. A simple twist of the wrist and it snapped from the handle as easily as if it were plastic. Bucky shoved the mugger against the wall and held him there with his arm against his windpipe. He flipped the blade over in his hand and held it at eye level. 

“Now,” he growled. “I think you got somewhere else to be.” 

“Fuck you, man!” the mugger wheezed. “Little fucker deserved it.” 

Bucky growled again and pressed harder against his throat and dragged the blade of the knife along the mugger’s cheek. The mugger’s façade crumbled and he whimpered pathetically. 

“That’s my fella you’re talking about, friend,” Bucky said lowly. “And that young lady was lucky he arrived. But you? You’re a gutter rat.” 

He came off the guy, shoved him toward the sidewalk, and kicked him for good measure. 

“Get out of here before I do something no one will be able to prove,” he shouted after him. The guy scrambled to his feet and scurried away. As soon as he was gone, Bucky dropped the knife blade, turned around, and knelt in front of Steve. “Hey, doll, you okay?” 

Steve looked up at him with awe. There was a bit of redness from where he was hit and his lip was split, but all he would have to worry about was some bruising. Or at least, that was what Bucky thought until he realized that Steve wasn’t wearing his glasses. Or, to be more accurate, one lens was intact and on his face. The other half of his glasses had snapped off and the lens was cracked. 

“Need new glasses,” he grumbled. “But I’m okay. Shoulda brought my contacts.” 

“Oh, baby,” Bucky cooed. He leaned forward and kissed Steve’s cheek. “Let’s get you somewhere where we can patch you up, okay?” 

Steve hummed as Bucky helped him up. “Let’s… just walk slowly,” he said. “Can’t see so good right now.” 

Bucky was torn between taking Steve back to his place or going back to Steve’s apartment. Steve saved him from making the answer, though. 

“Can we go back to your place?” he asked. “I don’t want my friends to… think that you hurt me.”

Bucky grimaced. “Would they think that?” he asked. 

“They might,” Steve said. “My ex was… a piece of work.” 

Bucky’s face softened. He reached down to tuck a piece of hair behind Steve’s head before pulling Steve into a gentle hug. Steve clung to him and trembled. Bucky decided that if he ever me the piece of shit that hurt Steve, he’d make sure that his life was ruined. 

“Yeah, come on,” Bucky murmured. “I’ll take care of you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos give me life, y'all! <3


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains a lemon. It's a little lemon, but still. ;)

Bucky took his time on the ride back to his house. He had Steve text someone who could bring over his contacts. He parked his motorcycle in his usual spot in front of his brownstone before helping Steve off the bike and walking him slowly up the stairs. Steve looked around as they approached the door. 

“You know, I think I might be going crazy cause it looks like we’re at a brownstone,” he said. 

“That’s because we’re at a brownstone,” Bucky replied. “My brownstone.”

Steve stared at him wide eyed. “Holy shit,” he gasped. “I knew you said you were a fancy scientist and everything, but I didn’t think you could afford one of these!” 

Bucky smiled sheepishly. “Yeah, uh, well, Tony Stark pays us well,” he replied. “That, and our patented prosthesis helps.” 

“No kidding,” Steve gasped. “Never thought I’d see the inside of one of these things.” 

Bucky turned the lock and opened the door. “I’ll give you the grand tour once you have your contacts,” he replied. 

He led Steve to the nearest bathroom and sat him down on the lid of the toilet seat. He applied disinfectant to the cut on Steve’s lip and a couple other places on Steve’s face that were bleeding. It was the best he could do. Steve’s lip was swollen and the side of his face was starting to bruise. Bucky hated it. 

“Why did you do that, Stevie?” he asked softly. Steve looked down and clenched his hands into fists. 

“My dad was a firefighter,” Steve said. “He was a good one, too. He spent his whole life saving people, even though he was in danger almost every time he did. I asked him once why he did it. You know what he said to me?” 

“What’d he say?” Bucky asked. 

“He said that too many people just look the other way when bad things happen,” Steve replied. “That he never wanted to be one of them because if someone needed help, then someone should do something, even if it wasn’t much.” 

“That man had a knife, though,” Bucky said. “You coulda died.” 

“She got away, though,” Steve said. “Didn’t see the knife, just thought maybe I could scare him. I gotta deep voice, most people don’t expect me to look like… this.” 

Bucky knelt down in front of Steve and took his hands in his. “Steve Rogers, you might just be the bravest man I know,” he whispered. “But you gotta promise me somethin’.”

“What?” Steve said warily. 

“Please warn me next time you do somethin’ like that,” Bucky whispered. “I’ll back you up every time, I promise.” 

Steve smiled weakly. His eyes were squinted slightly since Bucky was probably close enough for Steve to see well enough. Bucky rubbed his thumbs over the backs of Steve’s hands for a moment before he stood. 

“Come on, let’s get you somewhere more comfortable,” he said. He led Steve out, who took short, hesitant steps in the new area and Bucky went along at Steve’s pace as he led him to the living room. 

“You know, I have no idea what this place looks like, but it feels expensive,” Steve said as he sat down on the large, plush couch. 

“What makes you say that?” Bucky asked. 

“Don’t feel like that cheap plastic tile stuff at my place,” Steve said. “And I think I’m in love with your couch. Feels sooo nice!” 

Bucky laughed softly. “I’m glad you like my place,” he said. 

“Yeah, can’t wait to see it,” Steve said. He lay down and put his head back in Bucky’s lap like he had earlier that afternoon. “Being blind fucking sucks, lemme tell you.” 

They were quiet for a moment and Bucky idly pet Steve’s hair like he had before. Steve had soft hair. It was short and straight and fell over his head in golden strands still mussed from the helmet Bucky provided him. Bucky loved it. Part of him wondered if that was what Steve’s hair would look like if Bucky was the one mussing it up. If Steve would lie gasping and sweating beneath him, his hair ruined after sex. 

What would it be like to sleep with Steve? Bucky wondered. HIs body was exactly the kind that Bucky loved to have in a partner, thighs to wrap around his head while he sucked cock, a soft, plump body that he could explore with his hands and his mouth, so many places to grab and tender skin to mark, an expanse of canvas waiting to be painted. 

“Down, boy,” Steve said, grinning up at him. “Don’t get any ideas, old man.”

“I’d never get any ideas,” Bucky replied with a grin. 

“Uh-huh, then why’s your dick getting hard?” he asked.

“Maybe ‘cause I got a pretty man in my lap,” Bucky replied easily. “Liable to get all sorts of thoughts from somethin’ like that. I’m a weak, weak man, doll.” 

“That reminds me,” Steve said. “What you said to that mugger…” 

Bucky kept his face neutral, but he remembered what he’d said. “What about it?” 

Steve swallowed. “Did you… mean that?” he asked. “Were you telling the truth?” 

“About what?” Bucky asked. “Said a few things, if you remember.” 

“About doin’ something no one would be able to prove,” Steve said. 

“You askin’ me if I’d have killed him for you?” Bucky asked. Steve nodded. “No, baby. If he kept tryin’ to do something, then maybe, if he somehow got the better of me. I don’t like killing people.”

“Good,” Steve replied. He reached a hand up to his face, though it took a bit for him to actually find it. “It was kinda hot, though, getting rescued by a dashing hero.” 

Bucky laughed. He threw back his head and laughed. Steve’s laughter joined his a moment later and they laughed together at the ridiculousness of what had happened. Bucky hadn’t acted the gallant hero in years. It never felt quite right to think of him as such. 

Steve, though, Steve loved it. He could hear it in the clear sound as his deep voice filled his home with laughter. Bucky loved Steve’s laugh. He wanted to hear more of it. 

“Just—just promise me that you won’t make a habit of this,” Bucky said. “Needing me to rescue you.” 

“My ma always said not to make promises I can’t keep,” Steve replied. “It’s not that I like getting beat up, I just hate bullies.” 

Bucky smiled down at him. “Lots of people wouldn’t do anything,” he said. 

“I know,” Steve replied. “I don’t want to be like them. I can do something, I will.” 

“Well, I guess I’ll just have to look out for you,” Bucky said. “It’d be a shame to let your pretty face get banged up like this on a regular basis. Can’t say I enjoy the sight.” 

Steve chuckled at that. “Does that make you my knight in shining armor?” 

“Well, I did save your life tonight,” Bucky chuckled. “You like the thought of being swept off your feet?” 

“It’d make for a nice change of pace,” Steve said. His face sobered a bit after that. “I never thanked you for saving me tonight. That guy could’ve killed me. It was dumb of me to get involved.” 

“No, it’s like you said, plenty of people would’ve done nothing and she could’ve been the one who died,” Bucky said. “You don’t have to be sorry for doing the right thing.” 

“Still, I’m glad you were there to help me. Thank you,” Steve said. 

“Steve…” 

At that moment, there was a knock at the door. Bucky sighed as the moment ended. Of course, the evening wouldn’t be as fun if Steve couldn’t see. Steve groaned beneath him, too. 

“Ugh, do you have to get up?” he asked. 

“I’m afraid so, baby,” Bucky chuckled. “You need your contacts so you can see properly.” 

Steve just groaned again. Bucky couldn’t help but smile down at him. Steve was adorable when he pouted. It made him want to kiss him until he smiled stupid. He really, really wanted to kiss Steve, to feel his soft lips against his, to feel Steve’s body in his arms. 

“Can’t you use the Force or something?” Steve asked. “Don’t want you to leave.” 

“Oh, yeah?” Bucky asked with a grin. 

“You’re comfy,” Steve said. 

The doorbell rang and Steve groaned and sat up. Bucky chuckled as he stood and strode over to the door. Sam was there with the small case of contacts in his hands. 

“Thanks,” Bucky replied as he reached for the case. Sam pulled it back and Bucky bit back an exasperated sigh. 

“I want to see Steve,” Sam said. 

“This about making sure that I’m not like Steve’s ex?” Bucky asked. Sam raised his eyebrows. 

“You know about him?” he asked. 

“I know that an ex exists and that he was bad for Steve, whoever he was,” Bucky replied. “Now if you’re done, come in. I’ll take you to him.” 

Sam walked in and Bucky led him past the kitchen and brought him to the living room where Steve was still laying on the couch with his legs draped over the arm. It was a sight that Bucky could get used to coming home to, but at the moment, he was slightly annoyed by his friend’s suspicion of him and it distracted him from Steve’s lovely form. 

“Hey, man, I got your contacts for ya,” Sam called out. 

“Thank fuck!” Steve replied. “I’m tired of not being able to see shit!” 

Sam paused when he saw Steve. “Steve, what happened to you?” 

“Chill, Sam, I got in another fight, that’s all,” Steve sighed. 

“‘Another fight’?” Bucky asked. “How often does this happen, anyway?” 

Sam chuckled wryly and handed the case to Steve. “If there’s a fight within a hundred foot radius, you can be sure Steve’s in it,” he said. 

“I’m not that bad,” Steve grumbled as he put the contacts in and blinked. “Glasses broke again, though.” 

“Seriously?” Sam asked. “Dude, one of these days, you’re gonna get into a fight and you’re just gonna come out of it blind.” 

“You’re exaggerating,” Steve replied. “I’d be fine, I can use my voice to call people on my phone.”

“There’s that, I suppose,” Sam admitted. “You wouldn’t be completely up shit creek.” 

“Thanks, jerk,” Steve drawled. “Anything else you wanna know about or are you done accusing Bucky of being inappropriate?” 

Sam blushed. “I haven’t said anything,” Sam protested. 

“Not directly,” Steve said. “But I know you gave him the shovel talk and I appreciate you looking out for me, but honestly, you can stop. Bucky saved me tonight, which is more than I can say for my ex.” 

Sam nodded. “All right, as long as you’re sure,” he said. He turned to Bucky. “Sorry, for being so hard on you.” 

Bucky smiled. “I’m glad he’s got some good friends,” he said. “You need a ride back to your place? I can call a cab for you.” 

“Nah, I got a ride,” Sam said as he turned around. “I’ll see you lovebirds later. You guys behave yourself!” 

“I’ve never done that in my life and you know it,” Steve called after him. Sam just laughed until the door closed. Bucky walked back over to the couch and sat down. Steve immediately laid his head back in Bucky’s lap. 

“How you feelin’?” Bucky asked. 

“Better, now,” Steve said. “You wanna do somethin’ now that I can see?” 

“I’d be fine stayin’ in and watchin’ somethin’,” Bucky said. “What about you?” 

“I’m suddenly curious about your taste in sci-fi,” Steve replied. “So Mr. I-Make-Prosthetic-Limbs-For-A-Living, what does a cyborg like you watch for sci-fi?” 

Bucky frowned. “I’m not a cyborg,” he protested. 

“You’re not?” Steve asked. “What do you call this metal limb connected to your brain that works like a regular arm, then?” 

“A high tech prosthetic,” Bucky said. “Being a cyborg would imply that my brain is part digital or computer, rather than an organ responsible for running the rest of my body.” 

“Yeah, but anyone who has that also has mechanical body parts,” Steve argued. “You ever heard of a cyborg whose entire body is made of flesh and bones?” 

“The metal body parts are superfluous,” Bucky protested. “They’re just perks. Being a cyborg is in your head, not your body.” 

“Then why do all cyborgs have metal body parts?” Steve demanded. “If they don’t matter, then why do we never see cyborgs that just have computer brains?” 

“Because the metal limbs are flashy and cool, that’s it,” Bucky replied. Steve laughed at that. It was a warm, rich sound, stirring memories of thick, quilted blankets and hot chocolate with marshmallows. 

“I guess it’s true, I do think your metal arm is hot,” Steve said. As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Steve’s face turned red as a beet. Bucky grinned at him and reached out with his metal hand to cup Steve’s face, which only made his blush even worse. 

“You sayin’ you like my arm?” he asked with a shit eating grin. Steve made to answer and Bucky stroked his knuckles along Steve’s face down to his neck. Steve’s breath hitched. “Gotta say, I haven’t had the chance to have fun with this baby, yet.” 

“Fuck,” Steve breathed. Behind the obvious arousal, though, there was uncertainty and apprehension. It made Bucky pause. 

“Maybe another night, though,” Bucky said, moving his hand away. Steve looked down. 

“Sorry,” he murmured. 

“Steve, look at me,” Bucky said a bit sternly. Steve’s head snapped up to look Bucky in the eye and Bucky reached over to take his hand in his. “I don’t ever want you to be sorry for liking what you like, okay? You hear me?” 

Steve looked at him for a moment before he nodded. “Yeah, I hear you,” he said. 

“Okay,” Bucky said gently. “Now, I want you to think about this. Hypothetically, if I were to want sex tonight, would you be comfortable with that?” 

Steve shook his head. “I just… I’m not ready for that. Sorry.”  
“You don’t have to be sorry, doll,” Bucky whispered. “I’m glad you were honest with me. I’m never gonna be mad at you for being honest.” 

Steve sighed with relief as he nodded. Bucky frowned. He had no idea who this ex of Steve’s was but he clearly did a number on him. 

“You wanna cuddle with me some more, baby?” he asked. Steve nodded and Bucky swung his legs up on the couch, pulled Steve against him, and wrapped his arms around his middle. Steve hummed and buried his face in Bucky’s chest. “You comfy?” 

“Mm-hmm,” Steve replied. 

“You ever heard of Firefly?” Bucky asked. 

“Of course I’ve heard of fireflies,” Steve replied. “I’m not five.” 

“Not what I’m talkin’ about, doll,” Bucky said. He fished his phone out of his pocket and turned the tv on. He went to his Amazon channel and started the show.

* * *

They watched a few episodes before Steve fell asleep on Bucky’s chest. It was relatively late, though not as early as Bucky usually turned in. He always was a bit of a night owl, though Steve’s job probably required him to be something of an early bird. Of course, getting involved in a mugging probably didn’t help. 

Bucky carefully extricated himself from under Steve and shook him gently awake.

“Hm, wha?” Steve asked. “Did I fall ‘sleep?” 

“Yeah, you wanna crash here for the night?” Bucky asked. “Got some spare rooms for ya, if ya want.” 

“Mmm, tha sounds nice,” Steve murmured. He closed his eyes again and Bucky shook him awake again. 

“Baby, you want some help getting out of these clothes?” Bucky asked. Steve waved him off before he yawned. 

“Mm, I might need help,” he said. Bucky chuckled softly. Steve was barely coherent. 

He carefully gathered Steve into his arms and carried him up the stairs to one of his guest rooms, which really just meant one of the bedrooms he didn’t use. It suddenly occurred to him just how big this house was for a bachelor pad. Natasha and Clint breaking into his house two or three times a week wasn’t the same. 

When he got there, he shook Steve awake again. Steve groaned and tried to wave him off, but Bucky chuckled softly. 

“Baby, you gotta take your contacts out,” he said. Steve groaned again before he opened his eyes. He blinked a couple times before he took his contacts out and set them in his case. Curiously, he also took out his hearing aids and sighed contentedly as he set them aside. Bucky put them on the nightstand by the bed. Steve closed his eyes again, seemingly oblivious to the fact that he was still fully clothed. 

Soon the sounds of his soft snores filled the room. Bucky chuckled again and quickly and efficiently stripped Steve out of his clothes so he would be comfortable. He did take a moment to Steve’s nearly completely naked body, he was only human. His eyes ran over the expanse of Steve’s round, gorgeous stomach and his thick thighs. The average person wouldn’t think much of Steve’s appearance, but Bucky thought he was gorgeous. 

It didn’t last long, though, because as beautiful as Bucky found Steve, he didn’t wish to violate his person by taking advantage of his sleeping state. He covered Steve’s body with the blanket and stood up. Steve hummed in his sleep as he rolled over. 

“Thank you, Daddy,” Steve murmured. 

“What did you say?” Bucky asked. 

Steve didn’t respond. The only sound in the room was Steve’s breathing, quiet and steady, no witness to the raging, burning arousal that coursed through his veins. Bucky reached down and adjusted himself before he turned around and rushed out of the room. 

He went back to his room, bursting through the door and practically tearing his clothes off. He grabbed the bottle of lube from his nightstand and fell onto the bed. 

“Fuck, baby boy,” he moaned as he lubed up his cock. 

It felt like forever since he’d done this with an actual person in mind instead of some fantasy partner or someone in a porno, which Bucky hated because they always seemed to treat fat guys and their partners like they were freakish or gross. There weren’t enough that featured fat people as regular people who just liked to have sex. 

Sexy people, in Bucky’s opinion. 

He gripped the base of his cock with his flesh hand and groaned as he began to pump it slowly in his fist, twisting his wrist around the head. Try as he might, he couldn’t keep the image of Steve from his mind. His metal hand dropped to tease his balls and he moaned at the feeling of heat and lust coursing through his body like he was a live wire. He thought of what Steve would look like completely naked beneath him, the word “Daddy” dripping from his mouth like honey. 

_Fuck yes_ , Bucky thought, arching off the bed at the thought. Steve was attractive before, but that word… fuck, that word went straight to his cock. He groaned as he tightened his grip and quickened his pace. He wasn’t going to last long, but to be honest, he wasn’t interested in dragging this out. 

He thought of Steve’s beautiful, plush lips wrapped around his cock, swallowing it down, choking until there were tears in Steve’s gorgeous eyes. He thought of what Steve might look and sound like if it was Bucky’s mouth on Steve’s cock, feeling the weight of it on his tongue, listening to Steve’s desperate cries of “Daddy”, begging for release. 

He imagined burying his face in Steve’s ass, eating him out and burning his skin with his beard. He grinned as he thought about Steve squirming every time he moved at the memory of Bucky’s… thorough attention. 

He wanted to taste every inch of Steve, touch and feel the soft, smoothness of Steve’s skin in his hands. He moaned as he felt his climax approach and he groaned as his pace quickened. 

“Oh, baby, oh, fuck!” he groaned. 

He grunted as he came, hot come bursting from the head onto his chest. He milked his cock through his orgasm. He laid his head against the pillow and chuckled contentedly in his post-orgasmic haze. It had been a long, long time since he came that soon or that powerfully. It was a fantastic feeling. 

That word still raced through his mind afterwards. “Daddy”. Steve was amazing and beautiful, but that single word stoked the flame of his desire hotter than it had been in years. 

Whatever their relationship became, he was looking forward to it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos give me life, y'all! <3


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When life gives you lemons...

Steve was aware of only one thing as he came awake: this bed was ridiculously soft. Not just the bed, but the blankets felt amazing and warm and he pulled them closer around him as he wrapped himself in their downy comfort. He could probably spend the rest of his life in this bed and be perfectly happy.

The second he realized was that he was naked. Well, not completely naked, he was still wearing his underwear. It was weird. Steve didn’t remember drinking last night. He also didn’t remember getting undressed or getting into bed. The last thing he remembered was watching that show with Bucky last night (it was pretty damn good, too). At some point he fell asleep. 

_Oh shit!_

He checked his eyes and sighed with relief when he realized that he wasn’t wearing his contacts. That would’ve been terrible. He heard stories about what happened to people who fell asleep in them. It had never happened to him, thankfully. 

His hearing aids were also out, which meant one of two things: either Bucky had somehow gotten them out himself, or he had been able to get Steve to take them out while half asleep. Steve usually woke up at 3 in the morning, he was good at doing things while half asleep, like get dressed, make coffee, eat, take supplements, and all the other things he did before going into work in the morning. Having the wherewithal to take his contacts and hearing aids out before bed was nice and only sort of surprising. 

He rolled over onto his back and opened his eyes. He stared up at a ceiling, squinting for a moment as he tried to piece together where he was. 

_I’m at Bucky’s house_ , he thought. _Bucky’s really nice, really expensive brownstone. In his really nice, really soft bed._ He paused. 

_HOLY SHIT BUCKY’S BED!_

He darted his head as he looked around. The bed was empty and he sighed with relief. He really wasn’t ready for that to happen between them, yet. Now that his bout of panic had him fully awake, he groaned as he pushed himself into a sitting position. He looked around until he found a nightstand. He reached over and grabbed his contacts and sighed with relief as he put them in and the world shifted into clarity. 

The room was really nice, if a bit… cold and austere. Steve wasn’t an interior designer, but he couldn’t help but notice that a lot of Bucky’s furniture and home was in shades of white, black, and brown. There wasn’t much color, despite the obvious quality of his belongings. 

_How does a guy get this rich and not hire an interior decorator?_ Steve wondered. He shrugged. It wasn’t something to worry about now. Besides, it was Bucky’s home and he could do what he wanted with it. Still, it was a bit weird how the home seemed like no one lived there. 

His stomach rumbled loudly and Steve realized that he’d forgotten to eat dinner last night. He groaned as he rolled out of bed and put his hearing aids in so that he would be able to talk to Bucky without having to read his lips. It was a bit of a hassle, sometimes. 

As soon as he opened the door, the wonderful smell of bacon hit him and his stomach growled loudly again. Steve moaned and practically ran down the stairs and into the kitchen. Bucky was working away at the stove to the tantalizing smell of frying bacon. Steve was surprised by how smoothly and confidently Bucky moved in the kitchen. There were several pans on cooking different foods that smelled delicious in the way hot breakfasts always seemed to be. He crept a bit closer and saw a pan of scrambled eggs, one with apples and cinnamon. Beneath it all, he smelled the aroma of biscuits in the oven. 

“Fuck,” he whispered. Bucky turned around in surprise and pouted. 

“You’re awake,” he said. 

“Yup,” Steve said with a grin. 

“I was gonna surprise you with breakfast,” Bucky said with that honestly adorable pout. That a grown ass man of 30-something could pout like that was ridiculous and endearing. 

“Well, consider me surprised,” he said. 

“In bed,” Bucky amended. Steve blushed and smiled. No one ever in his life had surprised him with breakfast in bed. 

“Thanks,” he said. His stomach growled loudly and Steve’s blush deepened as Bucky looked down at him. His eyes darkened with lust and Steve swallowed as he felt Bucky’s eyes wandering over his body. He had totally forgotten to dress himself before he followed his stomach down to the kitchen. “Um, do you have some clothes I can borrow?” 

“Sure, baby,” Bucky replied. He turned around and turned the stove off and removed the bacon from the heat before he walked off. He returned a few minutes later with some sweatpants and a dark blue t-shirt and Steve hurriedly threw the clothes on. He was actually shocked when they fit him. 

“You just happened to have clothes in my size lying around?” Steve asked. 

“I went for a run this morning,” Bucky replied. “I stopped at a pharmacy on my way back and picked you up some things. Figured you’d want some clean clothes of some sort.” 

Steve blushed and stepped into Bucky’s face. He wrapped his arms around Bucky’s body and Bucky rested his hands lightly on Steve’s waist. It made his heart beat faster and Bucky smiled down at him. 

“You didn’t have to do that,” Steve said. “I could’ve worn the clothes from yesterday.” 

“I know, baby, but I like to,” Bucky replied. “Next time, I’ll bring you along so you can tell me the kinds of clothes you like to wear.” 

Steve grinned up at him. It was like Christmas, only it was hot and muggy outside. He usually got clothes twice a year: Christmas and his birthday. He’d gained weight in the year after he broke up with Brock, too, and a lot of the clothes that he’d had were starting to feel smaller on him. Getting clothes was expensive, especially for fat people, and he usually didn’t have the time or money to worry about it. 

“Thank you,” he said. His stomach growled again. “I’m starving, can we eat? Didn’t eat anything last night.” 

“Shame on me for forgetting,” Bucky chuckled. He bent down and kissed Steve’s forehead. “Get a couple plates down from that cabinet, would ya, doll?” 

Steve sat down and Bucky piled his plate high with eggs, bacon, biscuits, and the fried apples. It was easily the biggest breakfast Steve had had in… probably ever. Angie was the only other person he knew that got up to cook in the morning and even she didn’t go this all out. Bucky even poured him a glass of orange juice before putting a pill in front of him that Steve recognized. It was an over the counter iron supplement. 

“You remembered,” Steve said. 

“Of course I remembered, it’s important,” Bucky replied with a smile. “Can’t have you fainting on account of skipping meals, now can I?” 

Steve tried not to be amazed at it all. It wasn’t fair to compare Brock to Bucky, but honestly, nothing like this had ever happened with him. Brock had started out with Steve tutoring him in math, then a semi-regular booty call, until suddenly, Steve found himself in an exclusive relationship that was restrictive and controlling. 

“I didn’t know you could cook,” Steve said as he spread jam over his biscuit. 

“I’m 36 year old engineer and I live alone with a huge kitchen,” Bucky replied. “Of course I can cook, I just don’t do it that often.” 

“Why not?” Steve asked. 

“It’s generally 8:00 by the time I get home,” Bucky replied with a shrug. “Not exactly the best time to get started on something. That and I like cooking for other people more than just me.” 

“Well, thanks for breakfast,” Steve said. He dug in. The food was delicious. Steve had to stop himself from shoveling it into his mouth like a barbarian. As attractive as Bucky seemed to find him, he didn’t want to scare the guy away with terrible table manners. 

“So, you got any plans for today?” Steve asked. 

“Aside from our date?” Bucky asked. “No, can’t say that I do.” 

“You mean our date from last night that got side tracked by my…” Steve trailed off trying to search for the term. 

“Dashing heroics?” Bucky offered. Steve laughed at that. Trust Bucky to tease him about this sort of thing. 

“I’m not a hero or dashing,” Steve replied. 

“Bullshit,” Bucky replied vehemently. Steve was a bit taken aback by the tone, but it made him sit up straight and pay attention. “That woman was saved from whatever that creep had planned. Makes you a hero in my book, and dashing, too.” 

“You were the one who kept that guy from hurting me,” Steve pointed out. “Doesn’t that make you a hero, too?” 

“I don’t wanna be a hero,” Bucky said. “I’m happy to be your sidekick. Got enough of the hero shtick as a marine. Not interested in that anymore.” 

“You didn’t like being a marine?” Steve asked. Bucky shrugged. 

“I suppose I liked it well enough for a while, but after a while, I realized I didn’t want that for my life,” he said. “Lost a lot of friends and it all seemed kinda pointless after that.” 

“I’m sorry,” Steve said. 

“Thanks, doll, you’re sweet,” Bucky replied. “It was a long time ago, though, so don’t feel too bad for me, okay?” 

They ate in silence for a while. Steve enjoyed the ease of the silence, the kind that didn’t rest heavily on a room with oppressive awkwardness, but the simple, sleepy silence of people waking up. Bucky took one of Steve’s hands in his (the metal one) and Steve smiled as Bucky rubbed circles in his hand. The problem with being gay and tactile was that so often, people seemed to not want to touch him, but Bucky couldn’t seem to stop. It was amazing how something so simple could feel so good. 

Steve ate every last bite on his plate. By the time he was done, he was feeling pleasantly full and he moaned contentedly. Then he got up to help Bucky clean off the dishes. Bucky, strangely enough, seemed against it. 

“Steve, you don’t have to help me,” Bucky protested. 

“You made me breakfast, got me clothes, and gave me a place to sleep last night,” Steve argued. “The least I can do is help wash up.”

“That’s real considerate of you, doll, but you’re my guest here,” Bucky replied. “I’m not about to make you work while you’re hear.” 

“I can’t just sit by and let you do everything,” Steve said. “My ma would have a fit if I didn’t lift a finger to help out.” 

“Your ma’s not here, so don’t tell her,” Bucky said.

“Shut up,” Steve said. He grabbed the wet dish out of Bucky’s hands and started drying it off. Bucky glared at him for a moment before he sighed and went back to washing the dishes. 

“You’re a little punk, you know that?” he asked. Steve shrugged and looked down at the plate. Deeming it dry enough, he set it on a dishrack and took the next dish that Bucky handed to him. 

“It’s just dishes, Bucky,” Steve replied. “It’s nothing I don’t already do nearly every damn day at work and at home.” 

“Exactly,” Bucky said. Steve looked up at him. 

“What do you mean?” 

“I was tryin’ to pamper you,” Bucky replied. “I like spoiling you.” 

“But… it’s rude to make someone else do all the work,” Steve protested. 

“It’s rude to talk back to your elders, but that doesn’t seem to be a problem for you,” Bucky replied with a grin. 

“Ha ha, you’re hilarious. You’re not that much older than me,” Steve said. 

“12 years isn’t that much older?” Bucky asked. 

“I’ll be 25 in a couple months,” he said. 

“Forgive me, being only 11 years older than you makes so much difference,” Bucky drawled. “Besides, it’s rude to have your guests clean up, everyone knows that.” 

“I don’t know that,” Steve replied. “I’d rather make myself useful.” 

“I’d rather you sit your pretty ass down and let me finish up,” Bucky said. He leaned over and kissed Steve’s forehead again. Steve cursed the way his body betrayed him at the gesture. His face blushed again and his stomach fluttered with butterflies. He really wanted to know what it would feel like to kiss Bucky for real. 

“Fine,” Steve grumbled. Instead of leaving, though, he went over to the island and sat down to watch. Bucky looked at him out of the side of his eye and grinned. He kept washing the dishes, though. 

It was surprisingly domestic thing. Food around a table, washing up afterwards, even having the argument all felt comfortable and sweet. Steve decided that he liked it. There was no anxiety about impressing Bucky or wondering what they would do later and worrying if Bucky would have fun. It was easy to let his hair down, so to speak. 

Bucky, in turn, didn’t ask much from Steve. Actually, Steve couldn’t think of anything that Bucky had said he needed or wanted from Steve. 

“Bucky?”

“Yeah?” 

“Are you… happy?” Steve asked. 

“Am I happy?” Bucky echoed. “What do you mean?” 

“I mean, are you okay with this?” 

“Gonna have to ask you to be a little more specific,” Bucky replied. “I’m okay with washing the dishes, I promise.” 

“It’s not that,” Steve said. “Are you okay with… what we’re doing?” 

Bucky paused and looked at him. He was drying one of the pans as he regarded Steve. The silence made Steve nervous. After a moment, Bucky put the pan in the dishrack and left the rest of the dishes in the sink as he walked over to sit opposite Steve at the island. 

“Are you asking if I’m okay with our relationship as it is?” Bucky asked. Steve swallowed and curled his hands into fists. They were slick and sweaty from the nerves. He nodded. “Yeah, baby, I am. I like takin’ care of you. Don’t you worry about me, you hear?” 

“But, what do you want from this?” Steve asked. Then, remembering that Bucky had asked him to be specific, he decided he should probably specify. “I know it’s been a really short amount of time, but is it okay to ask… what you want from this… relationship?” 

Bucky smiled gently and reached across the island to take his hand. He laced their fingers together. 

“It’s okay,” Bucky said. “Actually, I was hoping that we could talk about this soon, so your timing is perfect.” 

Steve sighed in relief. He’d asked Brock one time if they were boyfriends after dating for a month and was told to be less pushy and to relax. This had been a little more than a week and already Steve felt more comfortable around Bucky than he ever had with Brock. 

“So, I guess my next question is… what are we?” Steve asked. 

“That depends,” Bucky replied. “Do you want to be exclusive?” 

Steve nodded immediately and Bucky’s smile grew wider. 

“All right, we’re exclusive,” Bucky said. “Now tell me, what do you like in a relationship?” 

Steve looked down at the granite countertop for a while. What did he look for in relationships? His only other relationships had been with Brock and before him, Peggy, back when he thought that he was into women and she into men. Peggy, at least, had treated him decently, even if they didn’t do anything for each other. Their relationship had lasted all of two months before they realized it wasn’t working. 

Brock, on the other hand… Steve still wasn’t sure what Brock had wanted from him, except that he hadn’t been attracted to Steve but used him and others for sex. Brock had also put him down almost constantly, told him how stupid and reckless and useless and weak he was. 

Bucky was different from both of them, but still, Steve wasn’t sure what to say. He sat in patient silence while Steve thought about the answer to his question. 

“I like when you pet my hair and tell me I’m pretty,” he said eventually. It was true. Laying his head in Bucky’s lap was about the best thing they’d done in Steve’s opinion. “I like when you call me ‘baby’ and ‘doll’ and you’re nice to me even when I do something stupid.” 

Bucky made a face and Steve immediately wondered if he’d said something wrong. _Good job, Steve, way to put your foot in your mouth_ , he thought. Bucky’s grip on his hand tightened, though. 

“I like doing that, too,” Bucky said. “But Stevie, you gotta stop calling yourself stupid. I’m not into that.” 

Steve stared at him. “But…” 

“No buts, Steve,” Bucky said firmly. “You’re not stupid.” 

“I don’t know how to do anything,” Steve protested. “I don’t have a useful degree or anything, I’m just a barista.” 

“Steve, you’d be surprised how many idiots have PhD’s,” Bucky said. “I’ve met plenty of them. You’re not an idiot just because you work at a coffee shop.” 

It wasn’t something he was used to hearing, but to be honest, it was nice. He might be able to go back to school someday. Maybe he could actually do something interesting with his life instead of serving coffee. Having Bucky in his corner felt good, though. 

“Thank you,” he said. 

“You’re welcome, baby,” Bucky said. “Now I got a question for you: do you wanna call me anything?” 

Steve looked at him for a moment in utter confusion. Where had that come from? The only thing he’d ever called Bucky other than his name was “Jerk” and that didn’t count. Also, Steve didn’t like the idea of calling someone that all the time. It felt mean and degrading and Steve wasn’t into that kind of stuff. 

“Why?” he asked. Bucky cleared his throat. 

“This might be a good time to mention… that you called me Daddy last night when I put you to bed,” he said. 

Steve’s eyes widened and he tore his hand from Bucky’s and held it over his mouth. Mortification swept through him. He knew he’d dreamed about, hell, even fantasized about it, but saying it? When he was half asleep? Fuck that, Bucky would think he was a freak!

“I am so sorry!” he cried. “I must’ve been really out of it, I can’t believe I said that!” 

Bucky frowned at him. “So… you don’t want to call me Daddy?” he asked. 

Steve faltered. He did. He loved the idea of calling someone that. He loved the idea of being taken care of, and yes, being bent over someone’s knee and spanked. He liked the idea of being dominated, owned, claimed, and treasured. The things he’d thought about or looked up in videos were… filthy. If he still went to church, his priest would probably damn him to hell for that stuff or assign, like 1000 Hail Mary’s. Maybe both, honestly. 

“Umm…” Steve replied. 

Bucky got up and walked over to him until he stood behind him. Steve’s heart hammered away in his chest as Bucky’s hands ran up his arm and squeezed his biceps before Bucky leaned down. He felt Bucky’s mouth against the shell of his ear and he shivered. He could smell the musk of Bucky’s sweat from the run beneath the smooth, clean scent of his cedar shampoo. The air between them was still and thick and supercharged with arousal. Steve was vaguely aware of the fact that he had a raging boner as Bucky consumed his senses. 

“Do you want me to be your Daddy, baby?” Bucky asked lowly. Steve gasped as he felt Bucky’s breath ghost over his ear. “I’d take such good care of you. I’d spoil you rotten, give you whatever you need.” 

“Please…” Steve whimpered. 

“Please what, baby?” Bucky asked. Steve could feel the smile against his skin. The words fell over him like a shroud, covering and crushing any of his anxieties that dared surface. “Use your words. Be a good boy.” 

“Please be my Daddy, Buck,” Steve breathed. Bucky growled in approval and the sound sent shivers up Steve’s spine. 

“Good boy,” Bucky praised softly. He kissed Steve’s cheek. “My sweet baby boy.” 

Steve whined at the praise. He was painfully hard. Bucky was so close, and all his craziest fantasies were suddenly possible. He could feel Bucky’s hard body behind him against his back. 

“Looks like you got a little problem, baby,” Bucky said. “You want some help with that?” 

Suddenly the idea of Bucky’s hand, or fuck, his mouth, around his cock was in his mind and fuck if that wasn’t the hottest thing in the world. But… that would mean that Bucky would have his hand or mouth around his cock and it was also a bit terrifying. Bucky was objectively hot. Steve was… not. What if he got bored or didn’t like it as much as he thought he would? 

Steve swallowed and shook his head. “No, not ready. Not for… that.” 

Immediately, Bucky stepped away. Steve dared to glance up at Bucky’s face, expecting to find disappointment or anger or offense. Instead, Bucky looked… proud. Which was the weirdest thing in the fucking world. Steve had just turned down sex! Anyone else would think something was wrong with him. 

“Good boy,” Bucky said. “I’m glad you were honest with me.” 

Steve breathed out another sigh of relief (he seemed to be doing that a lot lately). He reached over and took Bucky’s hand in his. 

“Thank you,” he said. Bucky squeezed his hand and rubbed soothing circles over the back of his hand. 

“I’m never gonna hurt you, baby,” Bucky said. “I’m never gonna do anything without your consent. Which brings me to something important: do you have any safewords?” 

“Tea,” Steve answered. 

“And what do you mean when you say that?” Bucky asked. 

“Stop,” Steve replied. Bucky nodded with approval. 

“What else?” 

Steve looked at him for a moment blankly. “That’s it, that’s my only one,” he said. “Sorry, I didn’t know that I had to have more.” 

“It’s okay, baby,” Bucky said. “You ever had this kind of relationship before?” 

Steve shook his head. “What… kind of relationship is this, anyway?” he asked. “Is this a kink relationship or do we just have names for each other?” 

Bucky leaned back. “That depends. What do you want it to be?” he asked. 

Steve blushed. “I’m… interested in kink. I’ve never tried anything before, though,” he said. “I’m just… nervous, I guess. But I trust you.” 

Bucky smiled softly. “Thank you, Steve,” he said. “We can talk about it later when we’re less… wound up. Better to be clear headed for that kind of talk.” 

Steve nodded. “Um, do you mind if I…” 

Bucky’s eyes darkened a bit with desire and Steve shivered. Even though he wasn’t ready to have sex with Bucky… that look made him weak. He definitely wanted to see more of it. 

“Yeah,” Bucky said gruffly. “You can… use the shower next to your room if you want.” 

Steve got up and took two steps before he turned around. “My room?” 

“Yeah,” Bucky replied. “That’s your room, if you want it. Whenever you come over and wanna stay the night.” 

“So you’re not asking me to move in,” Steve said. 

“No, not unless you wanted to do that,” Bucky replied. 

“Great,” Steve said. It didn’t sound like a bad idea, having a place here that was his own space. Hell, he didn’t even have that at his apartment. Every place where he was at his apartment was shared and it wasn’t the biggest place in the world. It was nice to know that he had a place to escape to. 

He walked upstairs to the shower connected to his room. He gasped when he went inside. It was… huge! It was easily twice as big as the single bathroom he shared with his four roommates. He always felt cramped in his apartment bathroom, but here… he could use a shower without his shoulders and elbows and hips hitting the sides. 

“I’m gonna have hot water,” Steve said to himself. “I’m gonna have hot water and good water pressure! Fuck, yes!” 

That thought alone made his cock harder. Usually his jerking off had to be done quickly or at least when Sam was gone so that Steve could have the room to himself. The shower ran out of hot water too quickly on account of Bruce’s tendency to get distracted by something and spend all the hot water chasing some idea or another around. Oddly enough, Steve usually would’ve expected to have some hot water, but because Bruce tended to stay up into the wee hours of the morning, there were times when he didn’t have any because the water took forever to heat. 

This was gonna be good. 

Steve stripped out of his new clothes and turned the water on. The water turned so hot it was almost scalding almost immediately. Steve turned it down a bit until it was just this side of being too much and stepped in. He sighed as the hot water hit his skin, making his muscles relax and easing the tension he kept in his shoulders. 

He reached down and took his cock in hand. It wasn’t anything to brag about, but it wasn’t noticeably small, either. He jerked himself off, sighing as the hot water slicked up his cock. He didn’t waste any time building up to it. All he had to do was imagine Bucky against him, whispering those beautifully filthy words into his ear. 

“Daddy,” he whined softly. He arched into his fist and reached his other hand up to play with his nipples. 

_That’s it, baby_ , he imagined Bucky’s response. He thought of Bucky’s hand around his cock, controlling his pleasure, teasing him until Steve was a desperate, moaning mess. He wanted that. He really wanted Bucky. Just… not yet. 

“Please, Daddy,” he begged quietly. 

He tightened his grip around his cock. The imaginary Bucky in his mind would have one hand on his cock and the other hand roaming over his body, teasing and playing his body like an instrument. Steve would be like putty in his hands, give himself over to Bucky’s use. 

His hand flew over his cock, jerking furiously and utterly without any semblance of finesse or technique. He imagined Bucky between his thighs, kissing and sucking and burning them with his beard. His thighs were one of the most sensitive parts of his body and unfortunately, Brock never seemed all that interested in going down there… at all. 

Bucky, though, Bucky he could imagine sucking Steve off and being so dirty about it. Steve could imagine Bucky’s mouth on his cock, his lips on the insides of his thighs, his face buried in his ass and eating him out. He moaned at the thought of Bucky being there. He could feel his climax pooling in the pit of his stomach. 

_You gonna come for your Daddy, baby?_ Steve imagined Bucky would say. _Such a good boy, you’re make a mess of yourself, aren’t you?_

“Yes, Daddy,” Steve cried softly. 

He moaned as his orgasm burst from him, shooting over his fingers and onto the shower floor beneath him. His legs trembled in the aftereffects of his climax and Steve tilted his head back and smiled as the water ran down his body. It felt amazing in his post-orgasmic haze. 

Once he got ahold of himself, he washed himself off quickly so as not to take up too much time in the shower. He did want to go on whatever date Bucky had planned, after all. 

_I wonder if he would mind being called Daddy if we’re not in the bedroom_ , Steve wondered. He shivered with excitement as he dressed. Today was going to be fun.

* * *

Bucky could hardly believe his luck. He and Steve were an item, even if it hadn’t gone quite to plan. It was probably better that they’d had that conversation in the kitchen instead of one of Bucky’s bedrooms. It was a more neutral area, even if Steve was still new to the place. 

Especially considering where the conversation ended up going. Bucky was only slightly disappointed that Steve hadn’t been comfortable with having sex. He could hardly be faulted for that. All signs pointed to a bad relationship with someone somewhat recently and even if Steve was horny, it didn’t mean he wanted to have sex. Bucky could respect that. 

It didn’t mean that Bucky couldn’t take care of his own problem once Steve left, though. 

20 minutes later, Steve came down stairs, his hair still wet and smelling like Bucky’s favorite soap and shampoo. He walked right up to where Bucky was sitting on the couch and sat down next to him. Bucky pulled him closer and kissed him on the top of his head. 

“Feeling better?” he asked. 

“Yes, Daddy,” Steve said. Bucky hummed softly at the word, even as he felt his pulse quicken. His grip on Steve’s body tightened and Steve, the little shit, laughed. 

“So what do you wanna do today, baby?” he asked. 

“I need actual clothes before I go anywhere,” Steve replied. 

“So we’re going shopping?” Bucky asked. 

“Yeah… if you don’t mind,” Steve said. “I’ve been needing new stuff, anyway.” 

“Baby, if you need clothes, I don’t mind,” Bucky replied. He ran a hand down Steve’s back and scratched lightly. “Anything my baby needs, he can get.” 

“Well… in that case,” Steve said. Bucky chuckled and kissed his cheek. 

“Anything you want, baby,” Bucky said. 

“I need some new art supplies,” he continued. “I haven’t had the money for that stuff lately and a lot of my works are backlogged.” 

“Sure thing,” Bucky said. “I really wanna see some of your stuff when it’s done, if that’s okay.” 

Steve smiled. “I’d like that,” he said. 

“I’ll call an Uber,” Bucky said. “My bike’s not good for big shopping trips.” 

“I’m not gonna get that much,” Steve replied with a blush. Bucky squeezed his hand in reply. 

“You get however much or little that you want,” he said. “I can handle it. Don’t you worry about the money.” 

“Are you sure?” Steve asked. 

“Baby, if I didn’t want to give you what you want, I wouldn’t offer,” Bucky said gently. “I don’t really spend that much, anyway, so don’t worry about breakin’ the bank.” 

Steve looked at him and nodded. Bucky pulled him close against his chest and leaned back on the couch while he got out his phone to call their ride. His baby would want for nothing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos give me life, y'all! <3


	8. Chapter 8

Steve’s next day off was Wednesday, mostly because he would have to come in to see about a delivery on Saturday. It sucked, but such was life working at a coffee shop that was open every day. He was slightly disappointed that he wouldn’t be able to go on a date with Bucky today, since Bucky had the enviable and elusive weekday job that came with stuff like good benefits, paid vacation, and weekends. 

Still, he got to see Bucky at least once a day. He usually came in around lunch and got his coffee before heading into work. How someone habitually got up so late for their full time job, Steve had no idea. It was nice and Bucky always seemed happy to see him. He still wrote “Jerk” on Bucky’s cups, but he’d said he would and he was never one to go back on his word. The fact that it made Bucky laugh was a bonus. 

Part of Steve wondered if Bucky suspected how much Steve wanted the simple interactions they had every day. It was simple, “How are you,” “What are you up to today,” “Did you sleep well,” “These people giving you a hard time,” simple questions like that. It made Steve smile, though. 

He had the place to himself for once. Wanda was out playing music, as usual, while Bruce had summer classes to teach, and Sam was taking summer courses. It wasn’t quiet, just as most places in New York weren’t quiet, most of the time, but it was nice having his own space. 

Steve left in the morning to donate clothes that no longer fit at a local shelter. When he got back, he sat down with a contented sigh. Just a few days ago, his shopping trip with Bucky had gone far beyond what he’d ever expected. He got a lot more clothes than he expected to get because the clothes he had really were starting to feel a bit snug and it was awkward going out in clothes that didn’t fit well. 

Now, he had all sorts of clothes. The best part was that they weren’t just sweatpants and hoodies, either. They were pants, khakis, jeans, polo shirts, button downs, sweater vests, and t-shirts. They were colorful and vibrant and light and Steve was actually excited to get dressed and go out, now instead of dreading it. He still dreaded it, but it was purely due to being an introvert rather than the prospect of getting dressed anymore. 

He also stocked up on art supplies. He was behind on commissions and not having the money to get more supplies hadn’t helped. Now he had paints and colored pencils and canvases and good drawing paper and new brushes. There was no reason he couldn’t immerse himself in his art. 

So, naturally, like any artistic person, he ignored all the works he hadn’t yet finished in favor of starting something new. 

Bucky had steadfastly refused to consider any form of repayment for the money he spent on Steve last weekend. It was slightly annoying, though Sam claimed that it was because it was the sort of thing that Steve himself would do when he helped someone. That was probably more annoying than Bucky’s stubbornness. It wasn’t that Sam was wrong, per se, it was just that Sam was an asshole who looked fucking smug when he said it. 

However, Steve being the man his ma raised him to be, absolutely refused to just accept this generosity without something to express his gratitude. He had a great way to go about it, too. He’d spent the night at Bucky’s house again on Saturday. When he’d come downstairs in the morning, he’d found Bucky on the couch with one arm draped along the back and his feet propped on his coffee table. When he saw Steve in the new clothes he’d bought, his eyes had darkened and his mouth had morphed into a smirk. He’d looked positively hungry and it sent shivers down Steve’s spine. 

He wanted to draw that. Or paint that, he hadn’t decided yet. Drawing would be the less expensive way, but Steve hadn’t painted in a while and he sort of missed it. Eventually, he decided that he would draw it and he grabbed his pencils and his sketchbook and plopped himself down on the couch in his living room. 

Even with the benefit of eidetic memory, it took him three or four tries to get the dimensions on the paper right. It was a simple graphite drawing, but there was still a degree of satisfaction at drawing again. Slowly, Bucky’s body emerged. Steve paid particular attention to Bucky’s face. It was gorgeous and so expressive. One moment he could be frowning in concentration and the next he could be all smiles and soft affection and the next look at Steve like he couldn’t wait to get his hands on him. It was exciting. 

Bucky’s broad shoulders came next. Even though Bucky himself appeared relaxed and at ease, there was a certain power that was hidden in his posture. His arms (well, the flesh arm, at any rate) and his chest were strong and hard and powerful. He moved with a fluid, lethal grace that Steve found captivating. He wondered where that came from.

His legs propped up on the coffee table were the last. They were long and lean and strong. Every time Steve looked at them he thought about them straddling the motorcycle. Maybe Steve had a competency kink, because watching Bucky appear confident on that bike never failed to conjure other, more erotic thoughts.

 _Bucky could’ve been a model in another life and been equally successful_ , Steve thought. He idly wondered if Bucky would let him practice his anatomy. The problem would be that Bucky would probably spend most of the time flirting and Steve would spend most of it blushing. He was about 73% sure that that was how that experience would go. 

It took him all day, but by the time he was done, Steve was fairly satisfied with the result. He could probably go about making a version that had color, but this simple pencil sketch was pretty good. 

At that moment, there was a knock at the door. Steve frowned. He fished out his phone and glanced at the time. It was too early for Sam and Bruce to be back and Wanda had to work tonight. 

He got up and walked to the door. He peered through the peephole and saw Bucky grooming himself. Steve’s heart skipped a beat and he smiled as he opened the door. 

“Hey!” he cried. “What are you doing here?”

“I missed you,” Bucky replied, walking in. “My day wasn’t complete without seeing your face, so I decided to surprise you.” 

“Aww, you didn’t have to do that,” Steve said, even though his entire face was consumed in the smile, Bucky’s arrival made. 

“Don’t be silly,” Bucky said. He reached out and stroked his fingers down Steve’s cheek. “I always wanna see you, doll.” 

Steve’s stomach flipped as his smile grew. 

“I got you somethin’,” Bucky continued. 

“Really?” Steve asked. Bucky moved his hand around to present a single red rose. Steve gasped as he saw it. He held it to his nose and was shocked and delighted when it had the classic rose scent. “Thank you, I…” the words stuck in his mouth. 

He and Bucky had been dating for all of a few weeks at most, and already he was miles better than Brock had ever been. Brock had never said that he missed Steve, or brought him flowers, or even deigned to willingly spend money on him. He did so reluctantly and stayed in as much as possible. Hell, he once called Steve demanding for wanting to go on an actual date every couple weeks. 

He wiped a tear from his eyes and smiled up at Bucky. “Thank you,” he repeated. Bucky leaned down and kissed the top of his head.

“You're welcome, doll,” he replied. 

Steve didn't have a vase of any kind, so he got a coffee mug down and put his flower in it. “I've got something for you, too,” he said. He went back over to the couch and got the picture he drew, silently hoping that Bucky would like it. He returned to where Bucky stood in the kitchen and handed him the paper.

“It's not much,” Steve said. Bucky looked down at the paper and… a look of amazement bloomed on his face. 

“You drew this?” Bucky asked. “When?”

“Today,” Steve said. “It could be better, you know, cause it's just a first draft.”

“It's beautiful,” Bucky said. Steve had no idea how much Bucky knew about art, but his cheeks blushed at the praise. Bucky handed the picture back to him. “Can't wait to see the finished product.”

Steve grinned up at him. “Thanks, Daddy.”

Bucky's eyes flashed and he hummed as he drew Steve into a hug that was both gentle and insistent. Steve breathed in the scent of cedar and musk. He closed his eyes and took another deep breath, letting the scent seep into him through pores of his skin.

“When's your next day off?” Bucky asked. 

“Sunday,” Steve muttered. 

“You wanna come over on Saturday after you get off?” Bucky asked. “We don’t have to go out anywhere if you don’t want to.” 

“We could go dancing again,” Steve suggested. “I… I liked that when we did it last time.” 

Bucky trailed an arm up along Steve’s spine. “You did, huh?” he asked. “Yeah, we can go dancin’. Maybe some swing dancing, I know a place that's good for beginners on Saturdays. I’m gonna have to get ya some shoes for it one of these days.” 

“There are special shoes for dancing?” Steve asked. Bucky laughed above him and Steve felt the vibrations in Bucky’s chest. He smiled at the feeling even as he blushed at the fact that his boyfriend was laughing at him. 

“Oh, baby, there’s so much I’m gonna teach you,” he chuckled. “You wanna get dinner before or after dancing?” 

“Before,” Steve said. “Don’t wanna get low on iron and cut it short.” 

“Good plan,” Bucky said. “Would hate for you to get sick on me. I’m supposed to take care of you. Wouldn’t be no fun if I failed, would it?” 

Steve’s smile grew wider at that thought. The idea that Bucky not only expected to take care of him, but actually enjoyed looking out for him was… he didn’t know what it was, but he liked the warm feeling it made in his chest. He looked up at Bucky and saw him smiling down at him like he was the only thing in the world

“Thanks, Daddy,” he said softly. Bucky took his face in his hands and kissed Steve’s forehead. As always, it made the warm feeling in Steve’s chest grow and Steve’s skin tingled when Bucky’s lips left it.

* * *

Saturday came and Steve woke with more energy than he ever had that early in the morning. He went through his morning routine in record time, even though he knew factually that being early wouldn’t mean that his day would take any less time. It was the principal of the thing. Tonight he would get dinner before going out dancing with Bucky. It was exciting and new and Steve shook with anticipation. 

Mikhail grinned knowingly at him when he arrived at the shop to open it up. 

“This look, I haven’t seen it before,” he said as he handed Steve a Russian tea cake. “You are not Steve. I am thinking you are happy imposter.” 

“Shut up,” Steve replied, though the smile remained on his face. 

“I hear you find boyfriend,” Mikhail continued regardless. “I see he is treating you well. That is good. Is much better than last one, yes?” 

“He is,” Steve said as he poured their coffee for the morning. “He’s taking me out dancing tonight after I get off work.” 

“This is good, dancing is good for soul,” Mikhail declared. “Also tea cakes.” 

“Yes, Mikhail, your tea cakes are very good for the soul,” Steve agreed. 

It was about an hour and a half later when Peter Parker and Darcy arrived to help with the morning rush. It wasn’t that Steve hated people who wanted really fancy and specific coffee. He just didn’t understand the appeal. It certainly took a lot more work than black coffee, or hell, even black with room for cream and/or sugar. He relished the people who came in and asked for something that simple. 

The day flew by, even so. The only issue was the lull they had around midday as people went in search of lunch venues rather than coffee shops that served Russian pastries. Steve was busy keeping stuff clean in order to stay busy when Peter showed up. 

“So, how’s that jerk working out for you?” he asked. Steve attempted to pointedly ignore him, but the smile that tugged on the corners of his lips gave him away. Peter shoved him playfully. “Aww, I know that look. Darcy! Steve’s dating that jerk who came in a couple weeks ago!” 

“I knew it!” she cried. She came and leaned on the counter on the other side of him. “Spill. I wanna know every dark, dirty, sexy detail!” 

“There’s not much to tell,” he said, though his treacherous face blushed in spite of himself. Darcy and Peter, the annoying little punks that they were, just laughed at him. 

“Dude, you gotta tell me your secret,” Peter said. “There’s this girl at school. She’s smart and witty and amazing and I don’t even know if she knows who I am. What do I do?” 

“I didn’t really do much,” Steve replied. “You were there. I took his order, he flirted and asked me out, and I stood there like a sea sponge thinking I’d heard wrong until he asked again.” 

“So what you’re saying is that I should get her to come get coffee here,” Peter said. 

“I mean, probably find a different coffee shop if you’re gonna ask her out for coffee,” Steve replied. “Taking your date out to the place where you work is kinda lame.” 

“It’s not if you work at a 5 star restaurant!” Darcy said in a singsong. 

“You don’t work at a 5 star restaurant,” Steve pointed out. 

“Someday I will,” she declared. “I’m gonna own a restaurant, just you wait.” 

“I have nothing but faith in you,” Steve said. 

“We are forgetting the important thing here,” Darcy interjected. “Steve just got himself a beefy beefcake of a man. What’s goin’ on with that?” 

Steve sighed and decided to just share the basic stuff at this point. God knew the specifics were a little… risqué for the workplace, not to mention not exactly professional. Just because he was friends with them outside of the workplace didn’t mean that he couldn’t get accused of harassment for sharing things that were of a personal nature. 

“We’re boyfriends,” he said after a moment. “We had that conversation last weekend.” 

Darcy cheered and Peter hugged Steve tightly. Steve rolled his eyes and chuckled at their antics. These two could run a circus together. Granted, each of them was also insanely smart, and in a hell of a more useful field than art. 

Peter was on track to get accepted to MIT and Darcy had a knack for administration and relating to customers. Steve was grooming her to become a fellow manager. It would mean that he would have fewer days where he had to get up at three in the morning, so that was a plus. It would also allow for more flexibility in his and Wanda’s schedules if there was another person who was trained to handle the shop aside from the two of them. 

“Have you kissed him yet?” Darcy demanded. “Has he kissed you?” 

“How is he in bed?” Peter asked. “I bet he’s amazing! He’s got so much big dick energy!” 

“You two do realize that we’re supposed to be working, right?” Steve replied in lieu of the blush on his cheeks. 

“With what?” Darcy asked. “This place is dead right now.” 

“Find something to do,” Steve replied. “Put another batch of coffee on.” 

“For who? The imaginary people who are gonna walk through that door on a Saturday for lunch?” Darcy countered. 

“You know how business people can be,” Steve replied. Peter sighed and did as requested. _That’s one of them out of my hair_ , he thought. 

“Darcy, go clean the bathrooms,” he said. 

“Seriously?” she asked. 

“You can do it now or when we get busy again,” Steve replied. 

“Fine,” she sighed. “You owe me.” 

“No I don’t,” Steve chuckled. “But I appreciate you.” 

“Yeah, yeah,” she said with a wave. 

Steve sighed as he was finally left alone. He went back to cleaning the countertop, but it was already pretty clean. His thoughts turned to his boyfriend, to the date that they had tonight. Steve managed to get the hang of tango, but swing dancing was different. If Bucky was as good at swing dancing as he was at tango, though, then Steve was looking forward to tonight. 

Unable to help himself, he went to the back office and took out his phone. Bucky was at the top of the list. 

Steve: **Ugh, slow day. Can’t wait for tonight. :)**

Surprisingly, Bucky’s reply came right away. 

Bucky: **Aw, baby, I was just thinking about you. You on break?**

Steve chuckled down at his phone screen. 

Steve: **No, I’m just in the office. Not much to do atm**

Bucky: **Oh, you’re being a bad boy. What are we to do with you, breaking the rules like that?**

Steve: **You could spank me ;)**

Steve grinned down at the test as he shivered. The mere thought of Bucky spanking him was the subject of more than one late-night fantasy. Steve had no idea if Bucky was interested in that, but there was only one way to find out, right?

Bucky: **You sure you know what you’re asking for, baby? Your ass would look so pretty red.**

Steve: **Probably not. Never been spanked before. You could be the first, Daddy ;)**

Bucky: **Oh, baby, you got no idea what you do to me.**

Steve chuckled and moaned softly. He wondered if Bucky had any idea what he did to Steve. At that moment, the office door knocked and Darcy poked her head inside. 

“Hey, break time’s over, we need a hand,” she said. 

“I’ll be right out,” Steve replied. She nodded and glanced at the phone in his hand. She grinned widely at him. 

“You texting your boyfriend?” she asked conspiratorially. 

“Maybe,” he replied dubiously. 

“Well, I won’t tell Mikhail, trust me,” she said. “But seriously, we need your help.” 

“I’ll be there,” he said. With that, she left the office and rushed back to the front. Steve looked down at his phone as it buzzed with another text. 

Bucky: **When do you get off work?**

Steve: **3\. I’ll see you later. Gotta get back to work.**

Bucky: **Knock ‘em dead, doll. Can’t wait to see ya tonight. <3**

* * *

Thankfully, the rest of the shift went by pretty quickly. Being busy was infinitely preferable to having to make up busy work. He grabbed his duffel bag from the office, intending to go directly to Bucky’s house, and walked out the door. As soon as he exited the shop, a young woman stood by a dark blue car waved him over. Steve stepped over to her cautiously. 

“You’re Steve Rogers, right?” she asked. 

“Who’s asking?” he replied. 

“Your boyfriend called you a Lyft,” she said. “I almost thought you’d gotten off early.” 

“Bucky called me a Lyft?” Steve asked. 

“As I said,” she replied. “My name is Layla and I’ll be your driver this evening. Now, you gonna stand there collecting flies, or you wanna get in?” 

Steve wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth and got in. It was good to get off his feet and honestly, his whole body hurt from standing all day. As soon as he got in, he fished his phone out of his pocket and called Bucky. It rang twice before Bucky picked up. 

“Hey, baby, you find that ride I sent you?” Bucky asked. 

“Yeah, thanks so much!” Steve replied. “My feet fucking hurt like motherfuckers.”

“Language, baby,” Bucky purred. “You wouldn’t want your poor driver to get the wrong idea of you.” 

“Sorry, probably making it worse for myself, aren’t I?” Steve said. 

“About that,” Bucky replied. “You sure that’s what you want? It’s okay if you were just joking. I remember you said you were nervous about this sort of thing.” 

Steve almost wanted to say that he was sure, that he wasn’t joking, but… he hadn’t even had a proper kiss with Bucky, let alone done something as… potentially intense as spanking. Steve liked the idea. He really liked it. At the same time, he wasn’t sure about doing it now. 

“I don’t know,” Steve admitted. “I mean… I think I would really like it, but… I’m sorry.” 

“Don’t be sorry, baby,” Bucky said. “I’d rather you be honest with me than try to do something that you’re not ready for. I’m real proud of you for telling me the truth.” 

A thought occurred to him. “If I’d said yes, that I wanted… that, what would you have done?”

“Well, for starters, I wouldn’t have believed you,” Bucky said. “And I want you to know that if and when we do anything, it’ll be when you know that you’re ready for it. We can talk about this more when you get here.”

“Thank you,” Steve whispered. “I’ll see you soon, okay?” 

“See you soon, baby boy,” Bucky replied. Steve could almost hear the gentle smile in his voice. “Can’t wait to take you out tonight.”

* * *

The ride took entirely too long, as was the nature of driving in New York, but Steve didn’t mind all that much. It gave him the chance to put his feet up for a bit and he actually took a nap on his way to Bucky’s house. The sounds of the city around him and the effort of having stayed awake since 3 wore on him until he succumbed. When he woke up, they were in Brooklyn, only a few minutes away from Bucky’s home. 

“Thanks for the ride,” Steve said as she pulled up to the brownstone. “Afraid I don’t have much cash for a tip.” 

“Don’t worry, he took care of it,” she replied. With that, Steve waved and got out of the car. He walked up to the door and knocked. The door opened almost immediately to… not Bucky. 

“Hey! You’re here!” cried Not-Bucky. “Bucky’s been waiting for you. Going on nonstop, actually. You’re Steve, right?” 

“Yeah?” Steve replied. “And you are?” 

“What? He’s never mentioned me?” Not-Bucky asked. “That’s rude. You would’ve thought that he’d have mentioned his best friend at some point. He’s been going on about you for weeks!” 

_That_ stopped Steve dead in his tracks. Bucky was talking about him? To… people? To his friends? That was… Steve wasn’t sure how to feel about it, but that warm feeling in his gut came back. 

“Sorry, he’s never mentioned you,” Steve replied. “Though, to be fair, I didn’t really ask. I asked about his arm and work, though.” 

“Oh yeah, sure, the metal arm,” Still-Not-Bucky said. Steve was beginning to wonder if he was ever going to get around to telling him his name. “Sure, be curious about cutting edge technology and genius whiz kids who helped invent it, but totally forget to even ask about important shit like friends or something.” 

Steve sighed and shifted on his feet as he held the duffel in his arm. “Well, now that we’ve established that I have no idea who you are, can I come in now? Or do I have to stand here and wait for Bucky to rescue me?” 

“Clint Barton! Stop being an obnoxious ass and let my boyfriend in!” Bucky shouted from somewhere inside. “I’m gonna kick you out one of these days, I swear to God!” 

Not-Bucky-Now-Apparently-Called-Clint laughed as he stood aside. Finally, Steve thought as he walked in. Rather than head to his bedroom to change, he went straight towards the living room. Bucky was there with a frankly gorgeous red-head woman Bucky sat in an armchair while she took up the whole couch like she owned it. Bucky himself looked somewhere between perturbed and amused. He smiled as he looked up and saw Steve approach. 

“Hey, baby,” he said softly. Steve walked right up to him and sat in his lap. Bucky didn’t look the least bit perturbed by this development and wrapped his arms around Steve’s body before pressing a kiss to Steve’s head. “How was your day?” 

Steve groaned. “Long,” he replied. “It was really slow or really busy and there was no in between.” 

“Aw, you worked hard today, didn’t you?” Bucky asked. “You need anything?” 

“Ugh, gross,” Gorgeous Redhead interjected. “Can you two be disgustingly cute somewhere else?” 

“No, because this is my fuckin’ house,” Bucky replied. “If you don’t like it, get the fuck out.” 

She shrugged. “The door is a long walk away,” she said. 

“Then you can make yourself comfortable while I love on my boy some more,” Bucky deadpanned. Then he turned and kissed Steve again on the cheek. “Ignore her. She broke in again.” 

“Again? You mean this happens regularly?” Steve asked. “Nice friends.” 

“I like this kid,” Clint said. “You should listen to him, you ungrateful dick.” 

Bucky flipped him off and Steve laughed. Somehow he didn’t imagine Bucky’s friends to be this fun. Bucky was an intellectual. He was an engineer and he read sci-fi and he liked nerdy stuff. His friends were more like Steve’s honestly. 

“Don’t encourage them,” Bucky groaned. “You’re just gonna get them to come inside while we’re havin’ fun together and then our date will turn into a double date and I won’t have you to myself anymore.”

“Aw, poor baby,” Steve replied, patting Bucky’s face. Bucky pouted pitifully at Steve and Steve’s eyes fell to his lower lip which looked so soft and tempting. Bucky had amazing lips. Steve really wanted to know what they felt like. 

“You’re supposed to be supportive,” Bucky complained.

“I am,” Steve said. “I’m supporting you by saying you have good friends.” 

“Yous a little traitor is what you is,” Bucky grumbled. 

“I like him, too, you should keep him around,” Gorgeous Redhead said. “Speaking of keeping him, shouldn’t you introduce us?” 

Bucky sighed and looked away from Steve. “The guy is Clint, the lady is Natasha,” he said. “They’re dating, which is honestly the worst idea anyone’s ever had, but no one asked me.” 

“How long have you been together?” Steve asked. 

“Three years,” Clint said happily. 

“Four years,” Natasha replied. Bucky sighed with long-suffering. 

“That’s… interesting,” Steve said, looking between them and his boyfriend. “Which is it?” 

“Oh God,” Bucky said. Natasha sat up for the first time since Steve walked into the door and looked him square in the eye. 

“Here’s the thing,” she began. “Four years ago, Clint asked me if I wanted to go ice skating with him. Which is fine, but not the sort of thing we’ve ever really done before and it was a bit out of the blue. We go out, we have fun, we grab some hot dogs on the way home, and we drop by the movies and decide to stop and see one. Lasts all night like this. We start doing this regularly every week or two and it’s only ever just the two of us and Clint is totally flirting with me—”

“I was not!” Clint interjected. 

“I’m telling the story!” Natasha replied. 

“You really were,” Bucky said. “Even I thought you were dating and I was nearing the end of my doctoral program.” 

“See?” she demanded. “Anyway, this goes on for a whole year and our year anniversary passes without so much as a peep from this guy and I get upset, like you do. And he comes up to me and asks what’s gotten under my skin lately and I tell him and he’s like ‘I didn’t know we were dating’! So I kicked him in the shin.” 

“And the next day I asked her out and she said yes,” Clint said. “So? What do you think?”

“About what?” Steve asked. “Cause I’m not convinced that both of you aren’t crazy.” 

“Good policy,” Bucky muttered. 

“Ha. Funny,” Clint said. “I meant about how long we’ve been together.” 

Steve looked between the two of them and decided that this probably wasn’t something he wanted to get into the middle of. Bucky was probably right to have been wary around this particular topic. 

“I think I want to go change,” Steve said, getting up out of Bucky’s lap. “Got that date and everything tonight, you know.” 

“Hell yeah, you do,” Bucky said with a grin. He looked almost hungry and Steve shivered as he walked off to the stairs and went up to what Bucky had deemed his room. 

Steve quickly shucked out of his clothes and checked the time. He had plenty of time to fit a shower in and frankly, he wanted to freshen up a bit before he got ready for the date tonight. And the shower was really nice. 

_What the hell?_ Steve decided. He stripped out of his work clothes and sighed with relief as he tossed them aside.

* * *

Bucky was this close to actually kicking his friends out of the house when Steve came back downstairs. His eyes raked over Steve’s body as he took him in. Steve was wearing a pair of aqua blue pants, a pale pink button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up over a white t-shirt, and glossy black dress shoes. His short blond hair was styled so that it looked spiky without looking like he had covered it in product. He smiled as Bucky saw him. 

Clint and Natasha were still arguing, but about something else and Bucky hadn’t really paid attention. He stood up and walked over to Steve and stepped into his space. Steve smiled up at him, his gorgeous blue eyes dark and whimsical. 

“Hey,” Steve whispered. Bucky dragged a thumb over his cheek. 

“Hey, baby,” Bucky replied. “You look real pretty like this.” 

“You like it, Daddy?” Steve murmured, his eyes closing just a bit. His eyelashes were beautiful and long. Bucky added them to the list of things he loved about Steve’s face as he took that face in his hands. 

“Yes, baby boy,” he murmured. “You look so pretty like this. Fuckin’ gorgeous. Could eat you with a spoon.”

Steve blushed prettily the way he always did when Bucky complimented him. Bucky grinned down at him and kissed his forehead. He himself still needed to change, but Steve looked great like this. He would never let himself be that partner who could barely be asked to get out of his ratty jeans and tank tops for his dates when his date looked like this. Fuck that. 

“You sit tight, doll,” Bucky said. “I’m gonna go get ready now. Just remember one thing.” 

“That you think I’m pretty all the time?” Steve asked. 

“No,” Bucky replied. “Well, yes, but that’s not the point. You’re bein’ a punk.” 

Steve just flashed a cheeky grin up at him and shrugged. Bucky was sorely disappointed that they hadn’t negotiated kinks or gotten to the point in their relationship where they could do something as intimate as spanking. He would’ve dragged Steve upstairs and bent him over his knee just for the fun of it. 

_Maybe some other time_ , he thought to himself. Instead he leaned in until his mouth was just over the shell of Steve’s ear. He felt Steve tense up and his breath hitch and he smiled wickedly to himself. 

“One of these days,” Bucky whispered. “You’re gonna be a punk and I’m gonna strip you down and bend you over my knee and spank you ‘til your pretty ass is bright red.” 

Steve gasped and Bucky hummed as he pulled away feeling immensely satisfied. Steve stared up at him. His eyes were wide and dilated and his cheeks were pleasantly flushed. He sauntered off to the stairs and was halfway up before Steve even moved from where he stood. 

“Wait!” Steve said. Bucky paused and looked down at him. “What was it I was supposed to remember?” 

“Oh,” Bucky said. “Don’t listen to a damn thing those assholes tell you about me. They’ll slander my good name if you give them the chance.” 

Steve grinned up at him and gave a lazy salute. “Aye, aye,” he said. 

Bucky chuckled and kept walking.

* * *

Steve decided that Bucky was evil. There was no other word for it. If they were in a Disney movie, Bucky would be the dark, dramatic villain snickering evilly in the shadows because he was evil. The jerk just whispered that into his ear and walked off like it was no big deal that Steve was left horny and frustrated and alone. He sat on the chair with his legs locked together and prayed that Clint and Natasha didn’t notice. 

_Whatever_ , he thought. _I’d just throw that jerk under the bus if they asked. It’s not fair._

Not that he disliked it, he just was not prepared for that kind of… thing, which was what made Bucky a jerk. 

As luck would have it, he was pretty sure that Natasha knew. She had a look in her eye that understood and Steve wasn’t entirely sure if that made him feel better or not. Thankfully, she said nothing so Steve could live in plausible deniability. 

“You know,” she said. “If you ever want to get back at Bucky, there’s a really simple way to go about it.” 

Steve perked up. He managed to keep his face neutral as he leaned forward. “I’m listening.” 

“He’s ticklish,” she whispered conspiratorially. Steve grinned. 

“Oh really?” he asked. “Any place in particular?” 

“You didn’t hear it from me,” she said. “But if you were to happen to, say, brush your hand against his knee, he would squirm.” 

Steve was definitely filing that tidbit away somewhere for later. The gears in his mind were already turning, plotting his revenge against his sexy boyfriend. 

“Anywhere else?” he asked. 

“His armpits,” Clint said. “Actually, I haven’t gotten the chance to see if his new armpit is ticklish. What would that feel like, anyway?” 

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Steve said. “Thanks.” 

“No problem,” Natasha said. “What are you doing tonight?” 

Steve smiled. “Bucky’s taking me dancing,” he said. “Swing dancing.” 

Her eyebrows shot up and she smiled. “You’re going to have a blast, kid,” she said. “Bucky’s a fantastic dancer and swing dancing’s his favorite.” 

“I’m not a kid,” Steve said automatically. “I’m almost 25.” 

“Still younger than we are,” she replied. “But you’re right, you’re not a kid. Sorry about that.” 

“Thanks,” Steve said. “I’ve… never been much of a dancer, myself.” 

“Because of not knowing the steps or because you don’t like club dancing?” Clint asked. 

“Both, really,” Steve replied. 

“You’re in luck, then,” Natasha said. “Bucky stopped going to clubs years ago.” 

“Probably because the doc program made him old before his time,” Steve replied. Natasha and Clint busted out laughing at that. 

“Hey, now,” Bucky said, rounding the corner. “I’m not that old, doll.” 

“Old enough,” Clint snickered. 

“You’re older than I am, asshole,” Bucky deadpanned. 

“Only technically,” Clint replied. “I’ll always be younger than you spiritually.” 

“Eating pizza rolls, cereal, and chicken nuggets every day doesn’t make you a kid,” Bucky said. 

“Gross,” Steve agreed with a grimace. 

“Ouch,” Clint said, clutching his chest. “I’m hurt. Seriously, that wounded me.” 

“If only,” Bucky replied. He turned to Steve, handed him his motorcycle helmet, and then held out his hand. He was stunning. He was dressed in black slacks and navy blue vest suit. The top button was undone and his hair was tied back in a neat bun. “Ready to go, baby?” 

Steve blushed as he took Bucky’s hand and let himself be pulled to his feet. Bucky smoothly laced their fingers together and let them hang between them as he stroked his thumb over the back of Steve’s hand. Steve nodded and Bucky turned around. 

“You two need to be gone by the time I get back,” he said to Clint and Natasha. 

“Why? You got some plans for him tonight?” Natasha asked with a smirk. Steve swallowed and blushed. He instinctively stepped closer to Bucky, who glanced down at him before glaring at Natasha. 

“None of your damn business,” Bucky said. He pulled Steve gently along until they were out the door. Once they were out, Bucky looked down at him with concern. “Did she make you uncomfortable?” 

“No… it was fine,” he said. His voice sounded false even to his own ears. He looked down between their shoes. “I mean, if you… if you want to do that, we can. I don’t want you to think that I don’t want to do… that.” 

“Steve,” Bucky said. Steve looked up nervously and Bucky placed his hands on Steve’s shoulders. “I want you to listen to me, okay?” 

“Okay,” Steve said. 

“We’re not doing anything that you’re not 100% comfortable with,” he said emphatically. “If you aren’t ready to have sex, we won’t have sex. That includes everything else that we could do together. Do you understand?” 

Steve couldn’t help the tears that came to his eyes. He nodded and Bucky’s gaze softened as he pulled Steve into a hug. Steve hugged him back, feeling somewhat pathetic at how desperately he clung to Bucky’s body. Bucky didn’t seem to mind as he held Steve just as fiercely. The metal arm felt hard and solid against his back. 

Steve didn’t know how long Bucky held him, just that it felt nice. Eventually, Bucky pulled away gently and pressed his forehead against Steve’s briefly. 

“You wanna talk about it?” Bucky asked. Steve shook his head. 

“Maybe later,” he replied. “But… thank you.” 

Bucky didn’t push. He just nodded and straightened. He took Steve’s hand again and walked down the steps to the motorcycle. Just like that, Bucky’s casual debonair charm was back and it was like they were going out on their date and nothing had happened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos give me life, y'all! <3


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The songs that feature in this chapter are Shiny Stockings by Ella Fitzgerald and Cheek to Cheek by Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong. You should look them up because they're beautiful and amazing.

The first place Bucky took Steve was… unexpected. It was a shoe store, for one thing. For another thing, it was apparently a shoe store that catered to dancers. Bucky had mentioned something about shoes that were made specifically for dancing, but Steve hadn’t really expected to go shopping for some any time soon. He decided to just go with it as he followed Bucky into the store. 

Bucky led him to a section of the store that had simple, glossy, black shoes. They didn’t look any different from what Steve normally expected from fancy shoes and he soon found some that were in his size. 

As soon as he tried walking in them, though, he slipped and just barely managed to catch himself before he fell flat on his face. He looked at Bucky, who was grinning silently and clearly trying not to laugh. 

“Shut up,” Steve said. 

“Didn’t say nothin’, doll,” Bucky said. “How do they feel?” 

“I can’t walk in these!” Steve protested.

“Sure you can, just need a little practice,” Bucky replied. “Besides, they’ll be great for dancing and swing dancing. Trust me, you want shoes that don’t stick to the floor. It’ll make your life easier.”

Bucky bought him the shoes and Steve managed to make it out of the store without falling on his ass. Steve pointedly ignored the price tag on them because frankly, he’d never spent so much money on shoes, even when Bucky had taken him out to buy clothes a week ago. As soon as they were outside, Bucky stopped him. 

“There’s a trick to make the shoes easier to walk in,” he said. “You need to scuff them up a bit.” 

Steve stared up at Bucky like he’d grown a second head. “You just bought me some nice ass shoes that I could never have afforded myself and you want me to _scuff them up_?” 

“Yes,” Bucky said simply. He made a circular scuffing motion with his own shoes on the ground. “Like that.” 

Steve shook his head in bewilderment for a moment before he mimicked Bucky’s movement. He felt ridiculous, scuffing his shoes just outside the shoe shop, but Bucky didn’t seem at all concerned about it and no one passing them by on the street looked at them twice. Of course, this was New York. No one looked twice at anyone. 

“There you go,” Bucky said after a couple minutes. He took Steve’s hand in his and led him off. “You’ll get used to them, don’t worry. You hungry?” 

“Yeah, I could eat,” Steve said. “Where do you wanna go?” 

“Depends. What are you feelin’ like tonight, baby?”

“I chose last time,” Steve protested. 

“So? I like makin’ you happy,” Bucky replied with a grin. “So where do you wanna go?” 

Steve thought for a moment as they turned the corner. He caught a whiff of something on the breeze that smelled like fish and seafood and his stomach rumbled. 

“I want seafood,” he declared.

“You got it,” Bucky replied with a grin.

* * *

Considering the mounting cost of seafood these days, Steve fully intended to take advantage of the fact that Bucky didn’t seem concerned with such things. Well, within reason, of course. His ma didn’t raise him to take advantage of people and she would surely have a fit if she found out that he did. That being said, the thought of having actual, high quality fresh seafood was too good to pass up. So when Bucky ordered a pot of mussels in a white wine sauce for their appetizer, Steve chose to ignore the small voice in his head that said he shouldn’t be letting Bucky do this. 

The fact that they were fucking delicious helped. 

“I can’t believe I’m eating actual seafood,” Steve said as he plucked another mussel from the pot. “Never had the money for the actual stuff. Most I’ve ever had was if someone brought shrimp to a super bowl party.” 

“You a football fan?” Bucky asked. Steve shook his head. 

“I’ve never gone to one of those parties for anything other than the free food,” he replied. “I know how the game works, I’ve just never liked it all that much.” 

“You know, if I had said that in the Marines, they would’ve thought I was crazy,” Bucky said with a chuckle. “Hard to explain not liking a sport that every conservative boy who joined up seemed obsessed with.” 

“How did you survive?” Steve asked with a grin. Bucky chuckled again. 

“I told them that I was a Packers fan, but that I didn’t watch much because they’re not that good,” he replied. “That worked until there was another guy who was an actual fan of the team started talking about stuff about the team and their record.” 

Steve threw his head back and laughed. He covered his mouth with a hand as he stared at Bucky in amazement. “What did you do?” 

“I got real good at mimicking everything he said, let me tell you,” Bucky chuckled. “He was a good guy. I was sad at first when he got an honorable discharge and went home. That feeling didn’t last long.” 

Steve sobered at that. “Did you lose many friends?” he asked softly. 

“More than I thought I would,” Bucky replied. “More than anyone tells you. After a while it all just started to seem meaningless, to be honest.” 

“I’m sorry,” Steve said softly. “I didn’t mean to dredge up the past like that.” 

“It’s fine,” Bucky assured him. “It was a long time ago and I’ve got counseling for it. Honestly, I appreciate your openness. A lot of people sort of dance around the subject or act as though I should be proud of what I did or were proud of me to the point where it felt almost parental and weird.” 

“I mean,” Steve replied. “If you ever were uncomfortable talking about stuff, you’d tell me, right? Cause… I don’t want to make you talk about anything that you don’t wanna talk about.” 

“It’s real sweet of you to worry about me,” Bucky said with a smile. It didn’t sound condescending, either. Bucky seemed to genuinely appreciate Steve’s consideration. He reached across the table to take Steve’s hand. “I appreciate it, doll.” 

Steve didn’t blush for once as he laced his fingers with Bucky’s. It felt good. Bucky’s fingers were strong and callused and Steve liked how they felt in his hand. Even when he held Bucky’s metal hand it didn’t feel much different from how it was normally, aside from being cool instead of warm. It was part of Bucky as much as the flesh hand was. 

“So, do you watch sports?” Bucky asked. Steve shrugged. 

“I mean, not really,” he replied. “They’re usually on too late at night, anyway. But I keep up with how the Mets are doing every year.” 

“Good man,” Bucky said with a grin. “Quality over quantity.” 

Steve chuckled. “Honestly, I just hate the Yankees,” he said. “So did my dad, actually. We used to watch the games together every night they played. He didn’t make me go to bed or do homework or anything. We would stay up until the game was done, no matter how they were doing.” 

“He sounds like he was a good man. And a good dad,” Bucky said. Steve smiled. 

“He was,” Steve replied. He shook himself off. “Sorry, didn’t mean to get into the deep shit.” 

“Hey, remember what you said a couple weeks ago about wanting to talk about real things?” Bucky asked. 

“Yeah.” 

“I don’t mind if you want to talk about serious stuff,” Bucky said. “I like learning about you.” 

Steve squeezed Bucky’s hand and relished the cool, solid feeling of the metal limb. Bucky squeezed back and rather than feel harsh and hard, it was gentle and reassuring. 

“Thank you,” he said.

* * *

The swing dance club was unlike anything Steve had ever seen. Whereas he’d expected to see younger people at the club, this club hosted people of all ages. There were middle aged people dancing together in a flurry of movements that Steve could barely follow. There were some older people dancing along right alongside them. And sure, there were some young folks intermingled in the midst of everyone else, but they didn’t dominate the crowd like Steve had expected. 

“Natasha said that this was your favorite,” Steve said. He didn’t really succeed in keeping the nerves from his voice, but thankfully, Bucky didn’t point it out. He kissed Steve’s temple. 

“Yeah, I’ll teach you, doll,” he said. “We’ll wait for a nice, slow song so you can get the hang of things.”

“So you’re not gonna make me do a dance marathon just for the fun of it?” Steve asked.

Bucky looked down at him with a concerned look. “No, of course not,” he said. “Why would I do that?” 

Steve blushed and looked away. “It’s nothing,” he replied. “I just had a… bad ex.”

Bucky looked at him but didn’t say anything about that. Steve was silently grateful. 

“Well, no, I don’t take any pleasure in humiliating my partners like that,” Bucky said. Steve couldn’t help but chuckle at that. 

“You _never_ humiliate your partners?” he asked. Bucky laughed and smiled down at him. 

“Well, not without their consent,” he replied. 

“Just so we’re clear, I’m not giving my consent for that,” Steve said. 

“Duly noted,” Bucky replied. 

A couple minutes later, a song with a slower tempo started playing and Bucky took Steve’s hand. Steve wasn’t that nervous. He’d danced with Bucky before and knew that he was a good dancer and a patient teacher. He was, however, distinctly aware of the fact that he was in the middle of a crowd of people and that Bucky looked at him again like he was the only one who mattered. 

God, but if that didn’t do something to Steve. 

Bucky walked him through a few basic steps as the song began. It was surprisingly simple, once Steve got the hang of it. It was both similar and different from tango. There was lots of feet movement, but it was more… fun, carefree. Then, amazingly, Bucky began to sing with the lyrics. 

_Those silk shiny stockings  
That I wear when I'm with you  
I wear 'cause you told me  
That you dig that crazy hue  
Do we think of romance  
When we go to a dance  
Oh no, you take a glance  
At those shiny stockings_

Steve threw his head back and laughed. He managed to make the triple step in time, too, and he cheered. 

“There you go, baby,” Bucky said. “Knew you had it in ya.” 

“You’re ridiculous!” Steve replied. “You thinkin’ of getting me stockings, Daddy?” 

Bucky’s eyes grew dark and slightly hungry and Steve shivered at the sight. He wasn’t opposed to sexy underwear or lingerie it was just that he’d never thought that someone would want him to actually wear it. His heart skipped a beat at the sight and Bucky pulled Steve closer together.

“Baby doll,” he murmured. “Daddy’s thinkin’ a lot of things.” 

“Fuck,” Steve breathed. 

“Don’t you worry about that,” Bucky said. His right hand trailed down Steve’s spine before Bucky pulled away again. “Right now, let’s just dance.” 

Like before, Steve lost track of just how long they spent dancing together. The next song was another slow one, maybe a little faster than the last one. The jazz was smooth and warm and it felt natural to dance to. Bucky led him smoothly and Steve didn’t try anything fancy, he just wanted to have fun. It seemed good enough for Bucky. He began to sing again. 

_And the cares that hung around me through the week  
Seem to vanish like a gambler's lucky streak  
When we're out together dancing cheek to cheek  
Oh I love to climb a mountain  
And reach the highest peak  
But it doesn't thrill me half as much  
As dancing cheek to cheek  
Oh I love to go out fishing  
In a river or a creek  
But I don’t enjoy it half as much  
As dancing cheek to cheek_

“You’re so cheesy,” Steve said. His mouth turned up into a smile of its own volition, though. He blamed the flush on his cheeks on the dancing and the heat. 

“I calls ‘em likes I sees ‘em, doll,” Bucky replied with a grin. “I like dancin’ with you.” 

“I… like dancing with you, too,” Steve said. “But, it’s also true that I never did any dancing before you.” 

“Well, guess you were just a natural waiting for your chance to shine,” Bucky replied. 

“Or maybe you’re a good teacher,” Steve countered. 

“50/50?” Bucky offered. 

“Deal.” 

The music continued, gradually growing in tempo. Steve concentrated on moving in tandem with Bucky’s body. He was starting to sweat, but he didn’t want to stop. Bucky himself didn’t seem to break a sweat at all, but then, he was in a lot better shape than Steve. He had no problem swinging to the beat of the music. Steve was mesmerized by the smooth, easy grace with which Bucky moved. 

Eventually, a song played and Bucky stopped dancing. He looped an arm around Steve’s neck and guided him off the dance floor. Steve looked up at him in disappointment. 

“Why’d you stop?” he asked. 

“This song is way too fast for people who are new to this,” Bucky explained. “Also, I’m not quite as young as I once was for this kind of song.” 

Steve grinned up at him cheekily. “I thought you said you weren’t old,” he teased. Bucky glared playfully down at him. 

“I’m not old, ya little punk,” he replied, slapping him on the ass. Steve yelped and rubbed it as he returned the glare. Bucky just grinned smugly at him. “Fancy a drink?” 

Steve grimaced and rubbed his ass a bit more before he shrugged. “I could go for a beer,” he said. “Been a while since anyone had money for it.” 

“Didn’t figure you for a beer sorta guy,” Bucky said as he led Steve to the bar. 

“I tried to be into wine, I really did,” Steve replied. “Never acquired the taste for it.”

“What about hard stuff?” Bucky asked. “Two beers, please.” 

“You know, oddly enough, being the son of a single mother and studying art in school along with the all the stupid health stuff I got,” Steve replied. “I never really had the money for anything but the cheap stuff. Didn’t leave a great impression.” 

“I believe that,” Bucky said. It was so quiet that Steve almost didn’t catch it. 

“What about you?” Steve asked, taking a sip from the beer. It was smooth and bitter and Steve found that he liked it quite a bit. “Got a favorite drink?” 

“Vodka,” Bucky replied. “Which I drink on special occasions and usually with Nat.” 

“What counts as a special occasion?” Steve asked. 

Bucky was quiet for a while. Steve actually looked up at him and wondered for a moment if he’d stumbled on a sore subject. 

“You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to,” he said quietly. Bucky reached down and brushed an imaginary bit of flotsam from his shirt. 

“It’s not exactly a cheerful subject, is all,” he replied. “I’ll tell you some other time, okay?” 

Steve nodded and took a sip from his beer. Then he set his beer down on the counter, stepped closer to Bucky, and hugged him. Bucky was stunned for a moment before he chuckled and wrapped his arms around Steve’s body. 

“I’m sorry,” Steve said. “For whatever it is.” 

Bucky kissed him on the top of his head. “Thanks, Steve,” Bucky said. “I’ll tell you sometime, I promise.” 

Steve smiled against Bucky’s chest and let himself be held for a moment before pulling away. He took another sip of the beer. 

“You want to do some more dancing after this?” Steve asked. Bucky chuckled and took a swig of his own beer. 

“As soon as they play something that’s not like trying to dance to a marathon,” he replied.

* * *

By the time they left the dance club, it was well past midnight and Steve barely felt tired. His feet hurt, sure, but he was invigorated. He could hardly stop. Bucky laughed and hooked an arm around Steve’s shoulders. He started humming a tune and leading Steve in a dance as they walked down the sidewalk towards the motorcycle. Even though Steve’s feet hurt like hell, he couldn’t help but follow Bucky until they reached the bike. 

“You had fun tonight, huh?” Bucky asked with a grin. 

“I never knew dancing could be so much fun,” Steve laughed. “I always thought it was all just people grinding against each other or something.” 

“That’s club dancing,” Bucky replied. “That’s different. I prefer dancing with actual steps and rhythms.” 

“So you’ve never gone club dancing?” Steve asked. 

“I have, I just don’t enjoy it as much,” Bucky replied. “I’m glad that you had fun tonight. I had a great time dancing with you.” 

Steve swallowed and took a deep breath. His heart was pounding in his chest as he stared up at Bucky and the wide, crooked smile he wore. He knew what he wanted. The words were on the tip of his tongue. 

“I…” he said. He swallowed again. Bucky put a hand on his shoulder. He didn’t say anything, but Steve felt the silent support in his hand. Steve took a deep breath and started again. “I’m not ready for tonight to end.” 

Bucky’s smile widened. “You wanna come back to my place?” 

Steve nodded. Bucky handed him the spare helmet and Steve took it, but it wasn’t exactly what he was talking about. He held it against his belly and looked up at Bucky. 

“Is there something else you want, doll?” Bucky asked, his voice low and soft. It sent shivers down Steve’s spine. Steve quivered with nervous energy. 

_Fuck it_ , Steve thought. He took another breath. “Kiss me?”

Bucky smiled. “Thought you’d never ask,” he murmured. 

He set his helmet down on his bike and took Steve’s face in his hands. Steve had about half a second to realize that it was actually happening before he felt Bucky’s lips against his. All rational thought fled Steve’s mind as Bucky kissed him. It was… hot. It was strong and soft and gentle and insistent all at once. Just like in dancing, Bucky led and Steve followed. He pressed his body against Bucky’s body and wrapped his arms around Bucky’s neck. 

Bucky’s lips were soft and smooth. The bristles of his beard scraped against the smooth skin of Steve’s face and he moaned against Bucky. Bucky’s tongue entered his mouth at the first opportunity and Steve moaned again. Bucky’s tongue moved against his and it made Steve shiver against Bucky’s body. 

Steve had never been kissed like this before. There was passion and heat and desire, but also affection. He wanted more. His body thrummed with want and need and he instinctively pressed his body against Bucky’s, distinctively aware of his hardness straining against the fabric of his pants. 

Finally, Bucky pulled away with a last nip to Steve’s lower lip and a peck on his mouth. Steve drew in a ragged breath. His head swam. Bucky’s hands ran over his hair as they caught their breath together. Steve didn’t move his hands from around Bucky’s neck. If he let go, he was pretty sure he would just fall over. 

“Fuck,” he breathed. His brain was still catching up with what had just happened. “I’m… I’m gonna need more of that.” 

Bucky hummed. His pupils were dilated and he stroked Steve’s face with a thumb. Steve leaned into the touch and for once, he wasn’t as worried about how he came across. Of course, that was probably his oxygen deprived brain being too flustered to think properly. 

“Sounds good to me,” Bucky replied. Steve chuckled breathlessly and cleared his throat. 

“Y-Your place, right?” he asked. Bucky grinned and nodded before he put the helmet over his head. 

Steve had no idea where the rest of the night would go. He had no idea where he wanted it to go or how far, but his lips tingled with the memory of Bucky’s mouth, his tongue, his teeth. It awakened something that Steve hadn’t felt in over a year and to be honest, he really wanted to explore that. 

It both excited and terrified him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos give me life, y'all! <3


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All right, y'all. Lemons.

Kissing Steve awoke a fire in Bucky, most notably in his loins, but also just in general. It felt right. It felt good. Steve yielded to him so sweetly, but also pulled him closer. Pulling back was almost excruciating, but Bucky contented himself with the knowledge that A) Steve liked it, B) he wanted more, and C) they were going back to Bucky’s house.

He had to stop himself from driving like a madman on the ride back. If he thought too much about the soft body pressed against his back and the way Steve’s arms were wrapped around him tightly, his dick would become distractingly hard. Instead, he focused on the road.

It took too long to get back, of course. New York truly never slept. Usually, Bucky didn’t mind. Hell, back in his day he might’ve been out here this late every night, but tonight he wanted very much to just get home. At some point on the ride, it began to rain. Just in little droplets, but it was enough to annoy Bucky a bit.

When he finally got back to his place, Steve hopped off his bike easily and Bucky followed him to the door. He opened the door quickly and dashed inside to grab the tarp from the nearest closet before the rain could begin in force and soak his motorcycle. Steve gave him a hand even though Bucky didn’t really need it.

It turned out to be a good thing, because as soon as they got the bike covered, it started to pour. They raced inside and slammed the door shut behind them. Bucky looked down at them. They were soaked, but Steve was smiling and he looked radiant. Bucky loved it. He couldn’t bring himself to pull away to change into dry clothes.

“Hey, doll,” he said. Steve looked up at him with bright, eager eyes and Bucky snaked an arm around him and pulled him closer.

“Daddy,” Steve whispered. Fuck, if that word didn’t do something to Bucky. “Kiss me, Daddy? Please?”

“Aw, baby boy,” Bucky leaned down and kissed Steve again. Steve returned it eagerly and hummed into Bucky’s mouth. Steve stood on his tiptoes as they kissed and as pleasant as that was, Bucky had some other ideas. He pulled away and Steve whimpered. His pout really was unfair. “Hold on tight.”

Steve had a split moment where he looked confused before Bucky bent down, grabbed Steve’s thighs, and picked him up. Steve yelped in surprise and wrapped his arms tightly around Bucky’s neck. Bucky grinned up at him as Steve settled and stared down at him in shock and wonder.

“Fuck,” he whispered. His pupils wide and dark and his face was pretty and pink as he blushed. Bucky chuckled as he walked towards the couch. By some miracle, his friends had actually listened to him when he told them to get out and he lowered himself down on the couch until he was sitting with Steve straddling his lap. Steve let out a breath and Bucky chuckled again as he leaned in to kiss just beneath Steve’s ear.

“Did ya like that, baby?” he whispered. “You like it when Daddy carries you?”

Steve swallowed. “Yes,” he whispered.

“Yes, what?” Bucky asked. “Come on, baby, you can do it. You can be a good boy for me.”

“Yes, Daddy,” Steve replied. He shivered against Bucky’s body as the words left his mouth and Bucky hummed in approval.

“Good boy,” Bucky murmured. He leaned in to kiss beneath Steve’s ear again and Steve arched against him. He grinned against Steve’s skin and began to suck gently on the sensitive skin. Steve moaned above him. “That’s my good baby boy.”

Steve mewled against him and angled his neck to grant Bucky better access. Bucky growled softly and moved down on Steve’s smooth skin. He didn’t know if Steve was interested in hickeys or marking, so he didn’t do anything too hard, but God, it was hard to keep himself from getting carried away. Steve gasped and moaned above him and the sounds went straight to Bucky’s cock.

“Harder,” Steve moaned. “Please, Daddy.”

“Harder, huh?” Bucky asked. His hands drifted down Steve’s spine, making Steve shiver in his lap. Steve’s hands rested on Bucky’s shoulders, clutching them desperately. “You want Daddy to mark you up? Make your skin all pretty and let everyone know who’s you are?”

Steve nodded and Bucky leaned in to whisper into Steve’s ear, his lips brushing as light as a feather over Steve’s skin. He didn’t say anything for a moment. He just held Steve and relished in how Steve thrummed with excitement and arousal against him. Eventually, though, he grinned against Steve’s skin.

“You have to say it, doll,” he murmured. “You have to tell Daddy what you need.”

“P-Please mark me up, D-Daddy,” Steve begged. “Make me a pretty boy.”

“You’re already my pretty boy,” Bucky murmured. He nipped Steve’s earlobe. “But I can make you beautiful.”

Before Steve had a chance to respond, Bucky began sucking hard on the spot just below Steve’s earlobe. Steve gasped and released a loud moan. Bucky sucked and nipped at the skin. Steve’s hands fisted in Bucky’s hair and pulled slightly as Bucky sucked a bright red mark onto Steve’s soft skin.

No sooner had Bucky finished the first than he moved down to the base of Steve’s neck and started another. Steve was rutting in Bucky’s lap and it made Bucky hard as a rock. He didn’t want to push Steve into something, but fuck, he wanted to touch Steve’s ass.

“Baby,” he whispered against Steve’s sensitive skin. “Can Daddy touch your ass? Please? Wanna touch it so bad.”

Steve nodded and Bucky nipped his skin again. “Need you to say it, baby doll,” Bucky whispered. “You need to give verbal consent.”

“Yes, Daddy,” Steve replied.

“Yes, you understand or yes, I can touch your ass?” Bucky asked.

“Both, dammit!” Steve cried. Bucky grinned against Steve’s neck and gave a light, playful nip.

“Good boy,” he said. He lowered his hands and seized Steve’s ass with both. He groaned as his hands were filled with Steve’s beautiful, round cheeks. He squeezed them experimentally and Steve moaned softly.

“Daddy,” Steve said.

“Fuck, baby doll, you feel so good,” Bucky murmured. He sucked hard briefly on Steve’s neck and began to knead Steve’s ass. “Love your ass so much. I could spend all day grabbin’ your ass. Feels so nice in my hands.”

Steve pulled back and smashed their lips together. Bucky took command almost immediately, kissing and nipping at those gorgeous, plush lips until Steve gasped for breath and opened his mouth. Bucky pushed his tongue into Steve’s mouth and met little resistance. He moved his tongue against Steve’s as he explored the unfamiliar terrain. His hands rose to cup Steve’s face as he deepened the kiss. Steve’s hands rose to Bucky’s head and he started carding his fingers through Bucky’s scalp. Bucky hummed into Steve’s mouth as he felt it.

He pulled away and placed his mouth on Steve’s neck again. Steve arched against him and Bucky trailed his hands down Steve’s back, feeling the soft rolls of fatty flesh in his hands as he sought out Steve’s ass again. Steve moaned again as Bucky’s hands returned to their perch. Oh the things he would—

“Tea.”

Bucky stopped and quickly wracked his brain for what that meant. He thought back to their conversation he had with Steve a week ago when they went over basic things about their relationship. Tea… was Steve’s safeword. Bucky let go of Steve immediately and Steve climbed off him and sat down with his hands in his lap and his legs closed.

“You wanna talk about it?” Bucky asked. Steve was quiet for a minute before he nodded.

“Yeah,” Steve said. His voice was low and hoarse and he cleared his throat as he nodded again. “I’m fine, it’s just…”

Bucky waited for Steve to finish his thought. When he didn’t and looked away instead, Bucky laid a hand gently on Steve’s knee.

“Hey, it’s okay, Steve,” he said. “I promise I’m not gonna be mad at you. You hear me?”

“I hear you,” Steve replied. “It was just… too much, I guess.”

“Do you need us to slow down?” Bucky asked.

“Maybe a little bit,” Steve replied. “I’m sorry I ruined the mood.”

“Hey,” Bucky said softly. “You didn’t ruin nothin’. I’m glad you said you were uncomfortable, really.”

Steve still seemed a bit disappointed, so Bucky got up, walked until he was in front of him, and took his hands. He knelt in front of him so that he could look Steve in the eye.

“What’s eatin’ you, baby?” he asked. “You don’t gotta hold back. Tell me so I can do better.”

Steve grimaced. Bucky squeezed his hands a little bit. Steve squeezed back a second later and he took a deep breath.

“I just don’t want you to think that I don’t want… that,” Steve said. “That I don’t want you.”

“Oh, Stevie,” Bucky said. “Can I hug you?”

Steve nodded and Bucky got up and sat next to Steve on the couch before he wrapped his arms protectively around him. He tucked Steve’s face against his shoulder and kissed the top of his head. Steve slowly wrapped his arms around Bucky’s stomach.

“It’s all right,” Bucky whispered. “You don’t have to be ready right now. Nobody’s gonna think less of you.”

Steve didn’t say anything at first. He didn’t have to. Bucky wondered if his ex was responsible for this in some way. He still had no idea what happened between them aside from the fact that he’d apparently beaten Steve. Whatever happened, it seemed to have hurt Steve pretty badly.

“When it was first starting out, it was almost cliché,” Steve said. “I tutored math on the weekends to earn a bit of cash. After a couple weeks, he got more interested in sex than anything else.”

“Did he pressure you?” Bucky asked. Steve nodded.

“And… it wasn’t _bad_ ,” Steve continued. “It was just weird, but I didn’t have anything to compare it to and I guess… at the time, it was just nice to have someone who was actually interested.”

“He was your first?” Bucky asked. Steve scoffed.

“He’s my only,” he replied. “I met some guys after I broke up with him, trying to rebound, but the only ones who were interested were the ones who only ever looked at my stomach and saw me as a way to satisfy their weird fetish.”

“Gross,” Bucky said.

“Yeah,” Steve sighed. Bucky kissed him on the top of his head again.

“I’m sorry you didn’t have someone who respected you,” Bucky replied. “And I’m glad you said somethin’ instead of just lettin’ me have my way with you.”

Steve nodded and burrowed his face into Bucky’s chest. Bucky held him for a while, petting his hair and stroking along his back. Eventually, Steve relaxed. At that moment, Bucky let out a yawn and Steve chuckled into his chest. Bucky felt the soft vibrations of his laugh tingle against his skin. It was light and happy and he just knew that Steve was about to say some shit.

“Past your bedtime or somethin’, old man?” Steve asked. Bucky flicked his head in retaliation.

“One of these days you’re gonna say somethin’ smart and I’m gonna introduce your pretty ass to my belt,” he grumbled. Steve shivered against him and hummed softly. “You like that, huh? You like bein’ a brat to your Daddy.”

“‘M not a brat,” Steve protested. Bucky chuckled wryly and it made Steve pull away to glare up at him.

“You’re not, huh?” Bucky asked. “What do you call bein’ a little shit to me, then?”

“I’m not a little shit,” Steve said. Then he grinned. “You’ve seen me, right? I’m a big shit.”

Bucky laughed and got up, pulling Steve up with him. When they were both standing, Bucky placed a palm on the top of his head and moved it to hover over Steve’s head. Then he dropped it onto Steve’s head and ruffled his hair up a bit. Steve whined in protest and Bucky just grinned.

“See? You’re little,” Bucky declared. “So you’re a little shit.”

“Don’t think that’s how it works, but okay,” Steve replied.

“You callin’ me a liar?” Bucky asked, raising an eyebrow.

“No,” Steve replied. His mouth twisted in that sly, cheeky grin. Bucky was beginning to think of it as his little shit grin. “Just thought that maybe you might be a bit behind the times, is all.”

Bucky flicked him again. “Brat.”

“Yeah? What are you gonna do about it?” Steve asked with a grin.

“Nothin’. Yet,” Bucky replied. “You’re not ready, but when you are, I’m gonna do all sorts of things to your beautiful body and you’re not gonna sit for a week.”

Steve’s eyes grew dark and his breath hitched. “Fuck,” he whispered. Bucky chuckled darkly.

“Yeah, that might happen, too,” he said. “If you’re good.”

“‘Might’?” Steve asked. “What do you mean ‘might’?”

Bucky shrugged. “Little shits get punished,” he said. “Only good boys get Daddy’s dick.”

Steve glared at him and Bucky laughed again. He turned Steve around and swatted him on the ass. Steve yelped and rubbed at the spot where he got hit as he turned around to glare at Bucky.

“It’s bedtime, doll,” Bucky said. “You get your pretty ass to bed and we can talk about the rest in the morning.”

Steve blushed bright red before he hurried off. Bucky watched him go, privately enjoying the way his ass moved until Steve was out of sight.

* * *

Steve barely slept that night. He could feel the memory of Bucky’s mouth on his lips and neck. His body remembered all too vividly the feeling of Bucky’s arms and his wandering hands that were so desperate to feel Steve’s body. His boyfriend being so… enthusiastic about his body, and then just by kissing, was a… nice surprise, to say the least.

He tossed and turned in the night, unable to keep the thoughts of what it would be like to go further. What would it be like for Bucky’s mouth to travel further down? What would it feel like for Bucky’s hands to creep under Steve’s pants? Where would Bucky be willing to go? Would he be willing to go down on Steve or rim him the way he had wished Brock would do?

What would Bucky’s cock feel like? He’d felt it just recently when he was making out with Bucky. It felt big. It was easily bigger than Brock’s who acted all tough and dominant, but then didn’t… measure up. Steve hadn’t minded, but Brock always liked mentioning that he was better than other guys for some reason. Especially Steve, looking back.

In the weeks that Steve had known Bucky, he hadn’t once tried to make himself out to be better than anyone else. He was smarter than most others, sure, and he was certainly in better shape than Steve, but these things didn’t seem important to him. It was honestly refreshing to know that Steve didn’t have to compete with Bucky.

These thoughts ran through his mind. Steve didn’t regret asking Bucky to stop before they went too far, but his curiosity was piqued. It had been a really long time since he’d been curious about anyone. Bucky lodged himself in Steve’s mind and refused to leave.

In truth, it wasn’t that Steve wasn’t ready to have sex with Bucky, it was that he wanted to know if Bucky would actually listen when he used a safeword. That had been the main reason why he’d never gotten around to talking to Brock about kink. Even at the best of times, Brock had been prone to pushing Steve into having sex with him in the way Brock wanted.

The fact that Bucky had stopped when he had was encouraging. Still, there was a part of Steve that was nervous about being intimate with Bucky. He wasn’t sure whether this was something he had to get over by just diving in or by being patient. Steve wasn’t good at being patient and the way his body just responded to Bucky’s touch didn’t help.

In the end, Steve concluded that the next time it happened, he wouldn’t stop Bucky. He desperately wanted to know what Bucky would do to him, given the chance.

He sighed into the still, silent darkness. His cock was achingly hard between his legs and the thoughts of his boyfriend finally won out over the concern that it was rude to jack off in someone else’s bed. Of course, Bucky had said this was his room, so Steve rationalized that it was also his bed.

He rolled over and fished a bottle of lube out of the drawer in the nightstand. He coated his right palm in the lube and wrapped his hand around his cock. If he closed his eyes, he could imagine that it was Bucky’s mouth instead. Fuck, Bucky’s mouth was sensual and seductive and sure, Steve was kinda (really) thirsty for Bucky’s cock, but he’d always wondered what it would be like to be on the receiving end of that.

“Daddy,” he whined into the darkness. “Fuck, Daddy, please.”

How would Bucky feel about begging? Would he be the sort of Dom who would drive him to beg? He didn’t seem like the type who would want to control Steve, which was good as far as Steve was concerned. He would beg as much or as loudly for his Daddy as he wanted.

He wanted to feel the digits of Bucky’s metal arm inside him. He wanted to feel them pressing into him, fucking him open, stretching his hole, and pressing against his prostate. He felt a little hypocritical for fetishizing Bucky’s arm, but fuck, it was hot and was clearly designed to look like a real arm. It wasn’t Steve’s fault that it moved as though there were actual muscles beneath the surface.

His grip tightened around his member. He twisted his hand over the head of his cock and moaned softly. He closed his eyes and raised his other hand to toy with his nipple. In his mind, Bucky’s hands would explore him everywhere. Bucky would make his body thrum with pleasure and arousal just like he had just by kissing him.

Steve’s hand wandered over the front of his body. Bucky’s hand would do this. His Daddy loved his body. His Daddy would tell him how much he loved it with either words or his touch. He moaned and arched up into his hand, fucking his fist and wondering what it would feel like if Bucky’s mouth wrapped around his dick.

He felt his climax building. His breath hitched and he arched off the bed. He moaned softly and tightened his grip around his cock. He pumped it furiously.

“Daddy, fuck!” Steve cried

He groaned as he came in his fist. He slumped limply onto the bed before he reached over to grab rag and wiped his hand off. He gathered the blankets around him and rolled over. His body relaxed into a post-orgasmic lull that, even though it wasn’t the same as it was with sex, helped to make his mind less loud. He drifted off to sleep soon afterwards.

* * *

Just like last week, Bucky rose early to get started on breakfast. Unlike last week, he didn’t focus quite so much on meat. He still had bacon, but this time, he mixed together batter for waffles and started stacking them high on a large plate. They were thick and buttery and fluffy, just how his ma used to make them. He got a jar of high quality, organic maple syrup and set it on the table.

Steve was still sleeping, though. Normally, Bucky might’ve let him sleep, but the food was getting cold. He gave him a few more minutes to wake up before he got a tray, stacked it with a plate of waffles, bacon, and fruit, and took it upstairs. He knocked, but there was no answer, so Bucky walked in, eager to surprise Steve. As soon as he opened the door, a loud moan reached his ears.

Bucky froze as he saw Steve, his little baby boy, with his eyes screwed shut and his hand wrapped around his cock. Bucky was rooted to the ground with the tray in his hands. His mouth dried as he saw Steve’s member. It wasn’t big, but it wasn’t small, either. It was thick, though, and enticing, like the rest of Steve’s body. 

“Daddy, fuck me, Daddy,” Steve whined. Bucky found his voice then and cleared his throat. Steve didn’t respond. _His hearing aids must still be on the table_ , Bucky thought. Sure enough, they were. Before Bucky could make his escape, though, Steve opened his eyes and they flew to Bucky. “Buck, is that you?” 

“Sorry, I can… go if you want,” Bucky said.

“You didn’t knock?” Steve demanded.

“I did, but you didn’t answer, I thought you were sleeping!” Bucky replied, projecting his voice a little so he could be heard. Bucky waited for Steve to say something. “Do you want me to leave?”

Steve looked conflicted for a moment. His face was still flushed with arousal and he didn’t hide from Bucky.

“You could… give me a hand?” Steve offered nervously. Bucky walked over and set the tray down on Steve’s nightstand. He sat down next Steve on the bed, but otherwise didn’t move to touch him.

“You sure about this, Steve?” Bucky asked. “You wanted us to stop last night when we were making out. You don’t have to offer sex if you’re not ready for it.”

Steve swallowed. “I don’t know that being ready is what I need,” he said. “I’m nervous, but with my ex, I don't know that that's ever not gonna be the case. But I trust you and you’re hot and fuck, I’ve been up all night thinking about this and I just need you.”

“Oh, baby boy,” Bucky said. He bent over to kiss Steve. It was hot and hard and Steve moaned softly into his mouth. Bucky bit his lower lip and Steve gasped as Bucky moved around to his ear. A bruise decorated the otherwise clear skin and Bucky took a second to appreciate his work before he leaned in again. “Say it again, baby boy.”

Steve gasped into Bucky’s ear. Bucky hummed and nipped at Steve’s earlobe.

“Daddy,” Steve moaned. He wrapped his arms around Bucky’s neck and a hand carded through Bucky’s hair. Bucky hummed again as Steve’s fingers massaged his scalp, but this wasn’t what he wanted.

“Say it, baby,” Bucky murmured. “Tell Daddy what you need.”

“N-Need you, Daddy,” Steve moaned again. “Please, touch me.”

“Good boy. Daddy will always take care of you,” Bucky said, grinning against Steve’s neck. He reached down and wrapped his flesh hand around Steve’s cock. Steve gasped and moaned and arched against Bucky’s body. “See what happens when you’re good for Daddy? You get to feel good.”

Steve just moaned against Bucky’s neck. Bucky chuckled to himself. If it were that easy to convince Steve to not be a brat, he’d eat his doctoral degree. Well, he’d eat a copy of it, anyway. Besides, Steve’s brattiness was endearing. He tightened his grip on Steve’s cock as he began to pump him slowly. He did what he would do to himself, twisting his hand around the head as he reached it. 

“Fuck, Daddy,” Steve moaned. 

“You like that, baby?” Bucky murmured. Steve whimpered and nodded. “I’ve got ya, doll. You don’t gotta worry about holdin’ back. Wanna hear everything you got for me.” 

He started making his way down Steve’s neck. He sucked on Steve’s collarbone and relished the sweet moan that came from Steve’s mouth. He drew back for a moment to gaze over Steve’s luscious body. Steve was beautiful and soft, with stretch marks over the curve of his belly. Bucky dragged his metal hand over the expanse of Steve’s smooth chest. 

“One of these days,” Bucky said. “I’m gonna lay you out just like this and I’m gonna feel and taste every last inch of you, baby doll. Not gonna stop until Daddy’s marked every part of you.” 

“Daddy,” Steve whined. Bucky squeezed one of Steve’s pecs and Steve gasped with a mix of pleasure and pain.

“Aww, baby, did that hurt?” Bucky asked. His flesh hand tightened around the base of Steve’s cock. “But maybe you like it a little rough, huh?” 

“Feels good, Daddy,” Steve said, squirming in Bucky’s grasp. Bucky reached over and squeezed Steve’s other pec. 

“Oh, baby, Daddy’s gonna have so much fun with you,” Bucky growled. Steve gasped, his eyes screwing shut. “Look sharp, eyes on me!” Bucky ordered, his voice dropping to his low, dominant voice. 

Steve opened his eyes. They were gorgeous baby blues and they were dark with arousal. Steve was gasping for breath. Bucky wasn’t sure if Steve could see him from this distance, but they met each other’s eyes. Steve moaned softly in the back of his throat. 

“You close, baby?” Bucky asked, quickening his pace. He jerked Steve’s cock furiously as Steve nodded. “Go ahead, baby. Come for your Daddy.” 

Steve whined and moaned. His hands clutched the sheets beneath them. Bucky ran his free hand over Steve’s body. Part of his mind stored the way Steve reacted to his ministrations away for later. A greater part of him just loved having Steve’s body beneath him. 

“Come on,” Bucky coaxed. “You’ve been so good for me, go ahead and come for me.” 

Steve grunted and came with a groan. His come shot out onto his stomach. Bucky stroked him through his orgasm until Steve slumped back on the bed. He crawled back and licked up the come that pooled on Steve’s stomach. He hummed at the bitter taste. He loved the taste. 

“Fuck, that was…” Steve gasped. “That was amazing.” 

“Yeah, it was, baby,” Bucky replied. At that, Steve rolled over and Bucky looked up to see him put his hearing aids in. 

“There, what was that?” Steve asked. “I could feel you saying something, but I couldn’t hear you or read your lips.” 

“I agreed with you,” Bucky said. He got up and reached for the food before Steve sat up and grabbed his wrist. 

“Wait,” Steve said. He knelt up and reached down with a trembling hand and cupped Bucky’s erection through his grey sweatpants. There was a dark spot where pre-come had leaked through and Bucky moaned at Steve’s touch. “Can I…?” 

Bucky swallowed to keep himself from pouncing on Steve. “You don’t gotta do that, baby,” he said. 

“But I want to,” Steve replied. “Please, Daddy? Can I make you feel good?” 

“Depends,” Bucky replied with a grin. “You always gonna be this nice for me when you’re horny?” 

“Probably not,” Steve replied with a grin. “Can’t make promises I can’t keep, right?” 

Bucky reached up with his flesh hand and grabbed Steve’s chin before he leaned down and kissed him roughly. Steve moaned in surprise as their lips met and Bucky ground his hips against Steve’s body. He pulled back and gave Steve a feral grin.

“Oh, baby doll,” he growled. He dragged a thumb along Steve’s swollen lower lip. “I’m counting on it.” 

He reached down and pulled his pants down. His cock sprang free and Steve looked down. His eyes widened as he laid eyes on Bucky’s cock. Bucky grinned smugly as Steve’s eyes dilated. 

“Jesus fucking Christ,” he whispered in awe. 

“Not my kink, but okay,” Bucky replied. Steve looked up at him and smacked him on the shoulder. Bucky grabbed Steve’s wrist. “Careful, that’s my job.”

Bucky reached over and grabbed the lube and put it in Steve’s hands. Steve’s hand closed around it loosely. Bucky leaned in and put his mouth to Steve’s ear again. 

“Go on, baby,” Bucky ordered, assuming his low, dominant voice again. “Show Daddy what you can do. You wanna make Daddy feel good?” 

“Yes, Daddy,” Steve replied. His voice seemed small. Bucky took Steve’s hand and guided it down to his cock. Steve’s hand calmed as it wrapped around the base of Bucky’s thick length. For a moment, he didn’t do anything. He seemed frozen until Bucky stroked a finger softly down Steve’s arm. Steve gave an experimental tug on Bucky’s cock. 

“That’s it, baby,” Bucky moaned softly against the shell of Steve’s ear. “Doin’ so good.” 

Steve’s tugs grew more confident. He twisted his wrist around the head of Bucky’s cock and Bucky groaned before he latched his mouth onto Steve’s neck just below his ear. There was a mark there already, but Bucky decided that it was his favorite and he started sucking another one just beneath it. Steve gasped again and his grip tightened instinctively around Bucky’s cock. 

“How’s it feel?” Bucky asked. 

“It’s so big, Daddy,” Steve moaned. He sounded a bit delirious and it made Bucky smile. At least his size wouldn’t get in the way, then like it had in the past. 

“You weak for big cocks, baby?” Bucky murmured. “Your hand feels real nice. Can’t wait to see your pretty mouth wrapped around it.” Steve’s breath hitched and Bucky reached down to grab Steve’s ass in his hands. He squeezed them and loved how full his hands were. “Or, I could stretch your pretty hole. Don’t know which I wanna do first.” 

“Daddy,” Steve moaned. Bucky grinned as Steve sped up, as though he was chasing his own orgasm through Bucky’s pleasure. 

“God, you’re so good for me, baby,” Bucky said. “You’re gonna make me come soon. Feels real good.” 

Steve gasped and Bucky came around and captured his mouth in a heated, open-mouthed kiss. His hands rose to take Steve’s head as he sucked on Steve’s lower lip before thrusting his tongue into Steve’s mouth. Steve melted in his grasp and Steve’s other hand wrapped around Bucky’s cock, too. He moved both of them in tandem over Bucky’s cock and Bucky moaned into Steve’s mouth. 

“Good boy,” he groaned. “Fuck, baby, such a good boy for me. Gonna make me come.”

“Please, Daddy,” Steve gasped. 

“You want Daddy’s come, baby?” Bucky asked. “Want Daddy to come on your pretty skin? Want Daddy to mark you up, baby boy?” 

“Please, Daddy,” Steve said again and quickened his pace, his hands jerking Bucky’s cock almost desperately. “Please, want it, want your come.”

Bucky grunted as his climax drew closer. His hands wandered possessively over Steve’s soft, smooth body. He loved the soft rolls of Steve’s body. He wanted this man so much it was all he could do to keep himself from pinning him to the bed, rolling him over, and fucking him then and there. 

“Christ, baby, fuck, _fuck_ ,” Bucky groaned as he came. His come shot out onto Steve’s stomach. Steve gripped one hand around the base of his cock while the other kept pumping Bucky’s length. 

When he was done, instead of collapsing on the bed like he might’ve, Bucky reached down and collected the come on Steve’s skin in his fingers and held them to Steve’s lips. Steve obediently opened his mouth and wrapped his lips around Bucky’s fingers. He began licking Bucky’s come off his fingers and moaned. He looked almost blissful, sucking on Bucky’s fingers. It was enough to make Bucky’s cock twitch with interest again, even if it would be a little while before he could go again. 

“Good boy,” Bucky murmured as he pulled his fingers from Steve’s mouth. He laid his hand on Steve’s face and leaned in to kiss him. He could taste his come on Steve’s tongue and it filled him with some immense satisfaction. He broke the kiss and pulled away. “How are you feeling?” 

Steve smiled. “I’m feelin’ real nice,” he replied. 

“Do you feel floaty or tired at all?” Bucky asked. Steve shook his head. His stomach growled and Bucky kissed the top of his head before he pulled his sweatpants back up and rose from the bed. 

“Come on, then,” he said. “Your food’s cold. I’ll warm it up for you while you get dressed, okay?” 

Steve pouted mischievously and lay on his stomach. “Do I have to get dressed?” he asked. Bucky couldn’t help but run his eyes over Steve’s ass and thighs. It was the first time he’d gotten a good look at them and he wasn’t disappointed. Alas, he had other plans. 

“Baby, you have no idea how happy it would make me to have you wandering around my house naked,” he purred. “But we have important stuff to talk about, okay?” 

Steve swallowed. “What kind of stuff?” 

Bucky leaned down and kissed him on his head. “Nothin’ to worry about, doll,” he said. “Negotiation type stuff. Limits and boundaries and stuff like that.” 

“Oh,” Steve replied. He smiled as he rolled over and got up. “Okay, I’ll be right down.” 

Bucky allowed himself one last glance at Steve’s bottom before he walked out the door with the food. If this first round was anything to go by, he and Steve would have a lot to look forward to in the near future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos give me life, y'all! <3


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More lemons for y'all! <3

Steve was sort of worried that breakfast would be awkward. Bucky walking in on him jacking off hadn't been how he'd planned to start the day, but… then it became one of the single hottest, most intense experiences of Steve's life. Just by kissing him, sucking his neck, touching him, and jacking him off, Bucky had managed to make Steve feel more than Brock ever had. Hell, even jacking Bucky off in return felt more like Bucky was in control. It was hot as fuck. 

And yet, breakfast seemed so… normal. Aside from the homemade waffles and fancy syrup, it was pretty unremarkable. Steve sat right next to Bucky and they ate in companionable silence. The only sounds was the rain against the windows and the sounds of the city in the background. It was… domestic. Steve didn't have a problem with that, strangely enough. 

They washed up and this time, Bucky didn't try to keep Steve from helping out. Bucky touched him lightly on occasion, silently and gently guiding him. Steve loved it. Being legally blind and hard of hearing, he was naturally a very tactile person. Light touches, cuddling, hugs, and hand holding, were all things that made Steve's heart flutter. 

The more… masochistic side of that was also part of it.

When they were done, Bucky took his hand and went back to the kitchen table. Steve followed him willingly and sat in the chair Bucky pulled out for him. Bucky sat down right next to him and kept holding his hand. 

“So,” Steve began. “How does this… work, exactly?” 

“Well, I thought we could start with what happened just now,” Bucky said. “You seemed to like instruction.” 

Steve nodded. “Makes it easier,” he said. “I like knowing what I’m supposed to do."

“Is that just with sex, or does that extend to other things, too?” Bucky asked. 

“What do you mean?” Steve replied. 

“If I were to tell you to do something that wasn’t something sexual, how would you feel about that?” Bucky asked. “It could be anything from, ‘brush your teeth’ to ‘take my shoes off’.”

“You could tell me to take your shoes off without it being sexual?” Steve asked with a grin. Bucky rolled his eyes. 

“You know what I mean,” Bucky said. 

“I don’t think I do,” Steve replied. “What do you mean, exactly, Daddy? You want me to take your shoes off.” 

Bucky glared sternly at him. “I want you to take this seriously,” he said. 

Steve blushed and looked away. “Sorry.” 

“It’s okay,” Bucky replied. “Now, answer my question.” 

Steve bit back a response that that was technically an order like they’d been discussing. He thought about it. Brock never told him what to do, per se, but he did ignore certain things and get on Steve’s case for not doing them. There had been times when Steve felt like Brock’s maid instead of his boyfriend. 

“I think it depends,” Steve replied. 

“Okay, depends on what?” Bucky asked. 

“Like, I don’t want to be your maid or something,” Steve replied. “I don’t want to clean up your house just because you’re lazy or something.” 

Bucky nodded. “Noted. What about as punishment?”

Steve blinked. “Huh, now?” he asked. “I thought punishment was stuff like… spanking, right?” 

“It can be,” Bucky replied. “But I figured from the way that you asked to be spanked the other day that that would be more appealing for you. Am I wrong?” 

Steve shook his head. “I’m a… bit of a masochist,” he said. 

“Right, then spanking wouldn’t be a good deterrent for you,” Bucky replied. Then he smirked. “Mind you, I’m happy to introduce you, seeing as you’ve never done this before. But for now, how would you feel about being ordered to clean something as punishment?” 

Steve grimaced. “I’m… okay with it,” he said grudgingly. Bucky’s smirk remained, though. 

“There, that wasn’t so hard, was it?” he asked. Steve blushed and looked down at the table. “Eyes up here, Steve.” Steve snapped his head up. “There, maybe you can be trained after all.” 

Steve blushed and glared at Bucky. Bucky just chuckled like he was genuinely enjoying messing with Steve. 

“You’re a jerk,” he said. Bucky clicked his tongue and shook his head. 

“We’ll talk about punishments a little later,” he said. “After we’re finished talking about the other stuff. And as soon as we’re done with that, we’ll see how cocky you are then.” 

“I’m so scared,” Steve said drily, even as his heartrate skipped a beat. Something dark flashed in Bucky’s eyes, but it was gone too quickly for Steve to really notice. 

“You will be,” Bucky said. “Now, you’re a masochist. Tell me more about that. What do you like?” 

Steve shrugged. “I’ve never done anything like this before,” he said. 

“I remember you saying that,” Bucky said. “We’ll start slow, do some basic stuff.” 

“You don’t have to baby me,” Steve replied. Bucky furrowed his brow. 

“You’ve never done this. I have,” he said. “You have no idea what you’re talking about. If you think I’m gonna take a paddle to your ass the first time you want a spanking, you got another thing coming. We’ll go slow, understand?” 

Steve nodded. “Well, since you asked, I like the idea of spanking,” he said. 

“I gathered that,” Bucky replied. “Anything else?” 

“I’ve watched stuff with belts, paddles, canes, floggers, stuff like that,” Steve replied. “The only one I’m not really sure about is whipping.” 

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Bucky said. “What else are you interested in?” 

“I’m interested in bondage,” Steve replied. “Like not being able to move or anything. Being vulnerable and stuff.” 

Bucky grinned at that. “Well, I suppose I’ll have to get some more rope,” he said. Steve cocked an eyebrow. 

“‘More’?” Steve asked. “So you have some?” 

“I used to,” Bucky replied. “Threw it out a couple years ago. Didn’t think I’d need it again.” 

“Dang,” Steve muttered. 

“Don’t worry, doll,” Bucky said. “Now, how are you with danger?” 

Steve stared at him. “Like what?” he asked. 

“Like knife play, blood play, breath play, and such,” Bucky replied. 

“I’m not into that,” Steve replied. “ _Maybe_ light choking, but it’s… sort of a grey area.”

“So,” Bucky said, reaching across the table and wrapping his hand lightly around Steve’s throat. It wasn’t enough pressure to actually impede his breathing, but it was a pressure on his throat. “Like this?” 

“Yeah,” Steve replied. “Grey area.” 

Bucky let go. “I’m going to introduce a scale system,” Bucky said. “1 to 10, with 1 being very uncomfortable, stop now and 10 being very comfortable, keep doing that. You understand?” 

Steve nodded. 

“Good. Now, what number would you give what I just did?” Bucky asked. Steve thought about it for a while. It wasn’t necessarily that he disliked it… it was that he didn’t necessarily like it, either. 

“3.5, 4?” Steve said. Bucky nodded in approval. 

“Good. Have you ever thought about temperature play?” Bucky asked. “Hot wax and ice.” 

Steve shivered. “It sounds… like something I wanna try,” he said. 

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Bucky replied. “Are there any fantasies or role plays that you want to try?”

Steve swallowed. “I… I liked it when you saved me,” Steve said. Bucky gave him a quizzical look. “Like, I really liked it. So… maybe something like that.” 

“I can work with that,” Bucky said. “Anything else?” 

“Um… p-professor and student?” Steve asked. 

“Is that a question?” Bucky asked. 

“No, I’m… I’m into that,” Steve said. “I think it’s… kinda hot that you have a doctorate.” 

Bucky grinned smugly. “Well, I can definitely work with that,” he said. “Gotta say, didn’t think the doctorate would help me out like that.” 

“I think it’s a combination of you and the doctorate, honestly,” Steve said. 

“Well, I’ll have to do something with that, then,” he said. “Next question: How do you feel about chastity?” 

“Like, if I would be okay with wearing a cage?” Steve asked. Bucky nodded. “I… could be okay with that. I’ve never thought about it, really. What would it involve?” 

“It’s pretty straightforward,” Bucky said. “I would lock up your cock and keep you from coming for a certain amount of time. I could make you keep it on for a week until you came back. I would keep the key on my person in case you used a safe word and needed it to come off.”

Steve shivered and his cock twitched ironically at that. This was sounding more and more like Bucky would control him, from the way he looked to whether he could come. To be honest… it was hot. Brock had taken control. Bucky asked for it and Steve could take it back with just a syllable. It made Steve feel powerful, in a paradoxical way. 

“I think I would like that,” he said softly. Bucky’s smile became practically ravenous. 

“Good,” he said lowly. His voice slid across Steve’s skin like black satin. “That’s very good, baby boy.” 

“Fuck,” Steve murmured. Bucky made a sound that was half moan, half growl and it made Steve shiver. 

“Yeah,” Bucky murmured. Then he cleared his throat. “What about age play? You like calling me Daddy, do you have a thing for age stuff?” 

“Honestly, I’ve never thought about it,” Steve replied. “I mean, I know what it is, I’ve come across it, but I’ve never really thought of myself doing stuff like that, you know?” 

“So on a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being you want to permanently table this discussion and 10 being you definitely want to come back to this later, how do you feel about coming back to this?” Bucky asked. 

“I’d say 8,” Steve said. “Maybe after I have a little more… experience, I guess.” 

“Okay, great,” Bucky replied. “What about sexual stuff? Like, if I were to tell you to give someone else a blowjob, would you be okay with it?” 

“I thought we said we were monogamous,” Steve said. 

“We did. I’m asking if you want that to extend to sexual stuff,” Bucky replied.

“I mean… maybe,” Steve replied. “If you were to order me to do it, then… maybe. Did you have someone in mind?” 

“Natasha and Clint are into it,” Bucky said. “It could be restricted to them, if you wanted.” 

“Just so you know, I’m not into women,” Steve replied. “So _if_ I were to be okay with this, I wouldn’t be okay with doing anything with a woman.” 

“That’s fine,” Bucky said. “Clint’s the sub, anyway. They’ve talked about playing with other people.” 

“So, what? You would have me suck his dick? You’d be okay with that?” Steve asked. Bucky grinned and nodded. “Wow. Weird.” 

“Okay, so on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being you want to permanently table this conversation and 10 being you definitely want to come back to this later, where are you?” Bucky asked. 

“6? Maybe 5.5?” Steve said. “I’ve never actually thought about having sex with someone who wasn’t my boyfriend or something. I think I’d have to be… really comfortable in a relationship for that to happen.” 

“Great, I’ll make a note of it,” Bucky replied. “How do you feel about humiliation?”

“Not sure,” Steve replied. “Like, having orders and instructions are good. Spanking and chastity would probably count, right? So I guess I’m into it.” 

Bucky nodded. “I suppose what I mean is how you would feel about me purposefully humiliating you. For example, if you were to talk back to me in public, how would you feel about me reprimanding you in front of everyone?” 

Steve blushed at the thought. It wasn’t an erotic blush, it was much more of an embarrassed one. Honestly, he would probably be mortified if Bucky did that to him. He shook his head. 

“All right, would you be open to that as a form of punishment?” Bucky asked. 

“Making me clean up after you isn’t enough?” Steve asked. 

“I like having options,” Bucky drawled. “Are you okay with it?” 

“Yes, I suppose,” Steve said. 

“Which would you prefer?” Bucky asked. 

“Cleaning,” Steve said immediately. 

“Good,” Bucky said. “How do you feel about being called names, such as slut?” 

Immediately Steve thought about Bucky calling him “Daddy’s little slut” while sucking his cock and he shivered. He’d never thought about that as a possibility, but it seemed hot for some reason. Like, it made the delineation of their power dynamic even more clear and Steve found that very appealing. He nodded. 

“Use your words, baby boy,” Bucky said. 

“Yes, Daddy,” he said. “I’d like to be Daddy’s slut.” 

Bucky’s eyes glinted. “That’s very good, baby,” he said. “What about other forms of verbal humiliation?” 

“I wouldn’t be okay with mocking,” Steve said. “You can’t make fun of me or ridicule me or say that I’m trash or ugly or something.” 

“So only praise,” Bucky said. “That’s good. I’m not into disparaging my subs, so no worry about that.”

“Great,” Steve said. “Also, I’m not okay with spanking or punishment in public, especially around my friends or family.” 

“Sounds reasonable,” Bucky replied. “If we’re here and there were people around, could I punish you if they were okay with it?” 

Steve thought about it. “As long as they’re okay with it, then sure,” Steve said. Bucky nodded. 

“Any other limitations I should know about?” 

“I’m absolutely not into watersports or scat or human furniture,” Steve said. “And I need privacy, so you can’t be breathing down my neck all the time. Also, I’m okay with blindfolds as long as I have my hearing aids and I’m okay not being able to hear as long as I have contacts or glasses and I can see.” 

“All good to know,” Bucky said. “Can’t say that I’m really into any of that. I just have one more question: Where do you want this to happen?” 

“What does that mean?” Steve asked. 

“Do you want to just have kinky sex, or do you want this to be more of a lifestyle?” Bucky asked. 

As much as Steve wanted to have kinky sex with Bucky, he did really like the idea of Bucky having some sort of control in his life. He trusted Bucky to take care of him. 

“What would it look like if it were more of a lifestyle?” Steve asked. 

“For one thing, I would have rules for you,” Bucky said. “We would negotiate on them, but at the very least, I would have rules for you when you were here. There would be other rules for when we’re together but not at the house, and other rules for when we’re not together at all.”

“Can I get specifics?” Steve asked. Bucky nodded. 

“When we’re here, you do as I say when I say it,” Bucky said. “You address me as Daddy or Sir unless I say otherwise. If I tell you to kneel at my feet, you do it. You don’t touch yourself without my permission. You don’t come without my permission. If I punish you, you say ‘Thank you’ when I’m done. If you’re here, you dress how I tell you to. If we go out, you tell me what you want and I speak for you.” 

“Do I have to call you anything in public?” Steve asked. 

“You can call me Daddy,” Bucky said. “Or you can call me Sir.” 

“I’m not calling you that if we’re around my friends or my ma,” Steve said. “She’d probably haul my ass to the nearest church for confession.” 

“Fair enough. You’ve only got one Daddy you need forgiveness from, anyway,” Bucky said with a smirk. Steve blushed. 

“Does that mean that you want to role play as my priest?” Steve asked. Bucky chuckled darkly.

“Maybe,” Bucky said. “I’ve actually never done that before, so who knows? Now, I want you to do something for me. Are you listening?” 

Steve nodded. 

“Do you have any issues with the rules I just gave you?” Bucky asked. “Do any of them strike you as something you’re not okay with?” 

“Not really,” Steve replied. 

“Good boy. Now, repeat back to me the rules I just gave you,” Bucky said. 

Steve thought back to just a couple minutes ago. He got the distinct impression that there was some punishment in store if he failed. Though in all honesty, Steve didn’t remember all of what Bucky had said. He swallowed nervously, but Bucky gave no hints or anything to help him. 

“Um… I follow your orders, right?” Steve asked. Bucky raised an eyebrow, but offered no help. _Well, shit_ , Steve thought. “I follow your orders. I call you Daddy or Sir unless you say I don’t have to. I have to thank you if you punish me. I don’t order for myself. I can’t come unless you give me permission or touch myself. Um…?” 

“You’re missing one,” Bucky said. 

“I know that,” Steve snapped. Bucky reached across the table and gripped Steve’s jaw in his metal hand. He glared sternly at into Steve’s eyes. 

“I almost forgot,” he said lowly. “You speak to me with respect or you get punished. Do you understand?”

Steve swallowed, even as the blood in his body raced south to his groin. “Yes, Daddy. I’m sorry, Daddy.” 

Bucky let go of Steve’s jaw and sat back. “Good boy. Now, you’re missing two rules.” 

“Do I have to do this? This is dumb,” Steve demanded before he could stop himself. 

“What did I just say?” Bucky demanded. Steve blushed and looked down at the table. 

“To speak to you with respect,” Steve replied quietly. 

“That’s right,” Bucky said as he stood. He reached down and pulled Steve to his feet and grinned wickedly. “Fortunately, I really enjoy taming brats like you.” 

Something about the way Bucky said that was… both sexy and terrifying. For the first time, Steve actually found himself nervous about being punished. He sort of wondered what it would entail. Bucky was strong, so even if all it ended up being was a spanking, it would probably hurt like hell. Then again, Steve was a masochist, like he’d said and Bucky seemed to like that. He honestly had no clue what it would be. Bucky took him to the middle of the living room before he let go and turned around to face him. 

“On your knees,” he ordered. Steve knelt somewhat clumsily and looked up at Bucky. Bucky clicked his tongue in what sounded like disappointment. “We’ll have to work on that. I want you to be able to do this smoothly.” 

Steve flushed at the chastisement and glanced down. “I’m sorry, Sir.” 

“Oh, now you’re sorry,” Bucky said. He reached down and tilted Steve’s face up. Steve’s face burned as he met Bucky’s eyes. “You’re sorry for the wrong things, baby boy. Don’t worry. I’ll train you to be better. Now, spread your knees apart.” 

Steve shifted until Bucky stopped him. His knees were already starting to ache due to not being used to being on his knees like this. Next, Bucky pulled Steve’s shirt off before he made him hold his hands behind his back crossed at the wrists and told him to keep his back straight. Finally, when he seemed satisfied with Steve’s position, Bucky fished his phone out of his pocket. 

“How are you with taking pictures, by the way?” Bucky asked. “1 to 10?” 

Steve shrugged. “7?” he replied. “As long as they don’t end up on the Internet.” 

“What about group chat?” Bucky asked. Steve had a sinking feeling he knew what this was about and while he didn’t like it, it didn’t _bother_ him. 

“It’s fine, I guess, Sir,” he said. Bucky clicked his tongue again and Steve felt his blush flare once again. 

“Need your consent, kid,” Bucky said. “You don’t give it to me, I can’t do it.” 

“I’m giving it, Daddy,” Steve replied. Bucky smiled. 

“Good boy,” he said. He snapped a picture and tapped on his phone for a minute before he dialed a number. He held the phone to his ear expectantly before his face brightened. At that moment, Steve felt his heart rate quicken as apprehension shot through him. “Hey, Nat, are you busy? No? Good, I need you to do me a favor.” 

Steve didn’t hear the response. Bucky reached down and grabbed a fistful of his hair, after a minute. “I gotta brat here who needs punished. Was wondering if you and Clint would be willing to come over and babysit him.” 

“What?!” Steve demanded. Bucky glanced down at him almost dismissively. 

“Shut up. No, not you, Nat,” Bucky replied. He was quiet for a moment after that. “Hang on.” 

He moved the phone away as he looked down at Steve. “Here’s what’s gonna happen,” he said. “I gotta step out and get something for your punishment. Nat and Clint will come over and watch you. You’re gonna tell them what you did wrong and when I get back, they’re gonna watch you get punished. Got it?” 

Steve glared at him. “Got it, Sir,” he said.

“Remember, if at any point you become uncomfortable with this, you use your safe word,” Bucky said. “I’m punishing you because I care about you, not because I like making you feel bad.” 

“Thought you said you liked taming brats, Daddy,” Steve said with a pout. 

“I do. But punishment and discipline are two different things,” he said. “This is punishment. Later, I’ll teach you discipline. You understand?” 

“Yes, Daddy,” Steve said. 

“Good boy,” Bucky said. “Now, what’s your number?”

“7.5,” Steve said. 

“Good,” Bucky replied as he stood and held the phone against his face again. “Yeah, we’re good to go. Thanks, Nat.” 

He hung up and walked out to get his shoes on. Steve suddenly remembered that he was shirtless and the idea that Nat would be coming over seemed nerve wracking. He was insecure about his body to begin with, and here he was, exposed to anyone who might see. Bucky liked his body, but that wasn’t true of most people. 

“Be good for Nat while I’m gone,” Bucky said. 

“Do I need to call her anything, Daddy?” Steve asked. 

“Not really,” Bucky replied. “She’s just your babysitter, not a replacement Dom.” 

“Have I mentioned that I’m not sure if I’m into age play, yet?” Steve asked. 

“You have, but you act like a brat, you get treated like a brat,” Bucky said. He walked back over and inspected him one last time. “You stay like this until I tell you otherwise, got it?” 

“Yes, Daddy,” Steve replied. Bucky nodded with approval. 

“Good boy,” he said. “I’ll be back soon.” 

He left Steve in the living room and walked out the door. Steve was tempted to get up. There was no way Bucky could know if he got up and walked around. Of course, it was always true that Steve had no way of knowing when Bucky would get back and it was entirely likely that his punishment could get worse if he caught Steve being disobedient. So Steve stayed there on his knees, even though the hard floor hurt. 

To make matters worse, Steve couldn’t get his phone out to pass the time. There was nothing but the white walls to look at. He wondered somewhat idly if Bucky would consider painting and/or redecorating his home. It was kind of… bland. Not bad, just not very much like Bucky. Bucky was intelligent and savvy and confident, but his home didn’t reflect any of that. 

He looked around the room. Bucky’s furniture here was mostly a neutral beige color against the dark brown hardwood floors. It wasn’t bad, it was just bland. If nothing else, Steve could see painting the walls a light green or navy blue. That would do wonders for this room alone. Steve had taken an interior design class that touched on color psychology in college. It had been an elective for his art major. He enjoyed it immensely and thought about it on occasion in his spare time. 

The kitchen and dining room could be a nice burgundy color, since it was supposed to stimulate hunger and such. It would look good against the black and white tiles of in the room, too. The bedrooms could be blue or green to help them feel relaxed. Steve preferred blue, but he’d go with whatever Bucky preferred since it was his house. 

It then occurred to Steve that he’d never actually seen Bucky’s entire house. He fought down the curiosity and the urge to get up and look around. He focused on something else, or tried to. Now all he wanted was to see the rest of Bucky’s house. 

His reverie was interrupted when the lock in the door turned and someone walked in. It wasn’t Bucky. They moved too lightly to be him. Then Steve remembered that Natasha and Clint were coming to watch him like he was a child. His face burned with renewed shame at the thought. 

They didn’t’ even call out to ask where he was. They came right to the living room and sat on the couch. Or rather, Natasha sat on the couch. Clint sat on the floor next to her legs. They acted as though it was the most natural thing, though Natasha regarded Steve with a neutral expression. 

“Well,” she said mildly. “That didn’t take long. Wasn’t it just last week that you two made your relationship official?” 

“Yes,” he replied. 

“And you got punished already,” Clint said. “Not sure whether to be impressed or to feel sorry for you.” 

Steve swallowed. “I don’t need your pity,” he said. 

“Hey, just tryin’ to be nice, kid,” Clint replied. He looked up at Natasha. “Right, Ma’am?” 

“Be nice with him, baby,” she said. “He’s new and he’s probably scared.” 

“I’m not scared,” Steve insisted. Natasha snorted and shot an amused look towards him. 

“Right, that’s why you’re shaking,” she said. “Because you’re excited to get whatever punishment he’s getting ready for you.” 

Steve glared at her as he realized that he was trembling. It was pretty slight, but it was there. He immediately flushed with embarrassment at someone else knowing what was going on with him but he didn’t move. 

“How long have you been holding that position?” she asked. “I’m sorta surprised that Bucky didn’t give you something to kneel on. Must’ve really pissed him off.” 

Steve didn’t reply until he remembered that Bucky had told him that he was supposed to tell them what had happened. Natasha hadn’t asked in so many words, but the last bit was a clear invitation to do as Bucky had ordered. He swallowed and his blush grew. 

“I back talked. A lot,” he said. “I wasn’t serious about the negotiation and I didn’t treat him with respect.” 

“‘Him’?” Natasha asked. 

“Bucky,” Steve said. 

“Who?” Natasha asked pointedly. Steve stared blankly at her before he realized what she was asking. If his blush grew any larger, his body would just combust. 

“Daddy,” Steve said. “I didn’t treat Daddy with respect and I talked back to him.” 

“Well that’s a big deal,” Natasha said. “Especially for someone new to kink. You have to take this stuff seriously.” 

“I know,” Steve groaned. 

“You’ll know better when he’s done, I imagine,” she replied. 

“Did he tell you what he was gonna do?” Steve asked. She gave a small, knowing smile. “I don’t suppose you’ll give me any warning.” 

“Nope,” she said. “Sorry, kid. You just gotta suffer while you wait.” 

“Damn,” Steve muttered. 

“I’d warn you, but I was told not to say anything,” Clint said. “Just for the record.” 

“Thanks, that makes me feel so much better,” Steve deadpanned. 

“Sub solidarity!” Clint cheered. “Doms are jerks, but they love us, right, Ma’am?” 

Natasha smiled down at him and ruffled his hair with one of her immaculately manicured hands. “Yes, baby, I do,” she said. Clint preened as she pet his hair and Steve couldn’t help but feel a little jealous. He didn’t have that with Bucky… yet. Maybe they’d get there eventually, but who could say for certain?

“Hey,” Clint said. Steve snapped his attention back to the two of them. “If Bucky didn’t care about you, he wouldn’t have let you become his sub. And he wouldn't have let you if he didn’t think you could handle it.” 

“He’s right,” Natasha said. “Try not to kick yourself too much for this. Every sub has to be trained. Your Daddy’s good at it and he doesn’t take it lightly.” 

Steve felt a little better at that. It wasn’t quite the same as hearing it from Bucky, though. Maybe he’d ask about it later.

* * *

Steve had to maintain his position on the floor for another hour. When the door finally opened again, Steve nearly leaped up with relief. He didn’t, though. He didn’t turn around to see Bucky approach, either. He just listened to Bucky’s footsteps until he stopped right behind him. He bent and Steve felt something smooth and worn wrap around his clasped wrists snugly. 

“Too tight?” Bucky asked. Steve flexed his wrists, but there weren’t any issues. 

“No, Daddy,” he murmured. His cheeks burned once again as he saw Clint and Natasha smirk at the word. 

“Good,” Bucky said. 

He got up and walked around until he was in front of Steve. He had a piece of poster board with two holes connected with a loop of twine. He put it Steve and tied the ends together before he stood and took his phone out. He took a picture and as soon as he seemed satisfied, he held the phone down to show him the picture. 

In it was Steve staring up at the camera somewhat plaintively with a hint of defiance. On the poster board was written, “I must not talk back to Daddy”. Steve’s face burned as Bucky moved to show the picture to Natasha and Clint. 

“Are you gonna share that online?” Natasha asked. 

“No, but I’ll send it to our group chat,” Bucky said. Before Steve could say anything, Bucky tapped a couple times on his phone. “It’s sent.” 

As soon as he was done he turned to Steve and bent down to look him in the eye. Steve’s face burned with shame as Bucky’s face was wide and open, like he was addressing a child. 

“Did you learn your lesson, baby?” Bucky asked. His voice was at a higher pitch and Steve looked down as his face erupted in a shameful blush. 

“Aww,” Clint and Natasha said. 

“Yes, Daddy,” he said quietly. 

“What did you learn?” Bucky asked. He took the poster board off and before Steve could feel relieve, it was replaced with a new one. He stood and took a picture. “Well? I got a lot of these, baby. We can go all day if that’s what it takes. There’s more than half a dozen people not including those two getting these texts and I guarantee some of them are gonna find them entertaining.” 

“I have to follow your orders,” Steve replied. 

“That’s good. Why is that?” Bucky asked. He showed Steve the text. This one read, “I must not sass Daddy” and it did nothing to ameliorate Steve’s shame. 

“Because they’re good for me,” Steve said. “Because you care about me.” 

“That’s right,” Bucky said. “What else did you learn?” 

Steve figured that if he was going to recite the rules Bucky gave him, he might as well just go with the next one. “I’m supposed to call you ‘Daddy’ or ‘Sir’ unless you say otherwise,” he said. 

“And why’s that?” Bucky asked. 

“Because it’s respectful,” Steve said. 

“And?” Bucky asked. Steve blinked for a moment. Nothing came to mind. 

“I don’t know,” he said quietly. “I’m sorry, Daddy.” 

“It’s okay, baby,” Bucky said. “We haven’t said it, but it was implied. You call me Daddy or Sir because I’m in charge and you’re not. Remember that.” 

“Yes, Daddy. Thank you, Daddy,” Steve said. 

“See? You’re learning already. You can be Daddy’s good boy when you want to be,” he said. “Next?” 

He put a new poster board on. By now, Steve would’ve thought that this wouldn’t have affected him so much, but apparently that wasn’t true. A new wave of shame washed over him and he looked away as tears filled his eyes. 

“I have to thank you when you punish me,” Steve said. “Because you only punish me because you care about me.” 

“Very good, baby,” Bucky said, a note of approval in his voice. Nevertheless, he took the picture and showed Steve. This one said, “I must not joke during serious times”. That was the worst, since it was phrased particularly childishly and Steve felt tears trail down his face. Bucky disregarded them. 

“I’m not supposed to touch myself or come without permission,” Steve recited. He sobbed a bit at the end. 

“Yes,” Bucky said, bending down. “We haven’t talked much about that one, but we will later, okay?” 

“Okay, Daddy,” Steve sobbed. “P-Please, no more, Daddy, I’m sorry…” 

“I know you are, baby,” Bucky said. “You just got two more, you can do this.” 

Steve sniffled and Bucky bent down to put a new poster on him. He took a picture and showed it to him. It read, “I must not call Daddy, ‘Jerk’”. Steve would’ve laughed if he didn’t know that it was going to be sent to a bunch of people he didn’t know and they’d all see him with tears on his face and looking utterly humiliated. 

“I must wear the clothes you give me,” Steve said. 

“Good boy,” Bucky said. “Just one more, you can do this, baby.” 

“I—I must tell you what I want and let you speak for me,” Steve said. 

“Very good, baby boy,” Bucky said. He took the poster boards off and reached around to remove the leather cuffs from Steve’s wrists. “There, now what do you say?” 

“Th-Thank you, Daddy,” Steve sobbed. 

“That’s my good boy,” Bucky said. He reached out to wipe the tears from Steve’s face. “You can move, now, baby.” 

Steve fell forwards and wrapped his arms around Bucky’s neck. He sobbed against him almost like he was an actual child. Bucky wrapped his arms around him firmly and shushed him as he rocked Steve back and forth. 

“Okay, you’re okay, baby,” he murmured in Bucky’s ear. He angled Steve’s body around before picking him up and carrying him to the nearest couch. He sat down carefully, but Steve just stayed in his lap. 

“I’m—I’m sorry, Daddy,” he sobbed. “I d-didn’t mean t-to be bad.” 

“Shh, I know baby,” Bucky said. “You were so good during your punishment. It’s okay, now. Daddy forgives you, okay?” 

“Promise?” Steve asked, pulling away to look up into Bucky’s eyes. 

“Oh, baby boy,” Bucky said. He pressed a soft, chaste kiss to Steve’s lips and Steve wasn’t ashamed to kiss back somewhat desperately. “I promise. Won’t ever lie to you. Daddy forgives you, it’s all okay now.” 

Bucky wiped the tears away. He held Steve tightly against him until Steve calmed down. Steve took a few deep breaths before he stilled. He chuckled to himself. 

“What’s so funny?” Bucky asked. Steve hummed. 

“I just thought… this wasn’t how I figured my first BDSM experience would be like, Daddy,” he replied. “I thought there would be more spanking and less negotiating.”

“There’ll be time for that later, baby,” Bucky chuckled. Then he looked over at Clint. “Hey, any chance you can go get me a box from the bottom shelf of the cabinet all the way to the right from the sink?” 

Clint looked up at Natasha, who nudged him. “Go on,” she said. Clint got up with a grin and walked out. When he was out, Natasha looked at them. “Well, that was interesting. He’s better than Clint was when he was starting out.”

Bucky laughed loudly at that. “I remember,” he said. 

“Do I wanna know, Daddy?” Steve asked. 

“Dunno,” Bucky replied. “Do you?” 

Steve sighed. “Not right now,” he said. Bucky stroked him up and down along his spine. “Just wanna cuddle.” 

“That’s my pretty boy,” Bucky murmured. “Such a good boy for Daddy.” 

Steve smiled at the praise. A moment later, Clint returned and dropped a box of chocolates next to Bucky on the couch. It was some fancy shit, too, or at least it looked like it, because Steve couldn’t read German. Bucky opened the box expertly with one hand and got a random chocolate out. He held it to Steve’s lips. Steve opened his mouth obediently and moaned as the rich, dark chocolate hit his tongue. It was delicious and decadent and just the right balance between bitter and sweet and he instantly felt better. Bucky chuckled. 

“Careful, baby,” he warned. “A man’s liable to get certain thoughts with a pretty boy moanin’ and squirmin’ in his lap and we’re done for today.” 

Steve couldn’t help it. He pouted. “Daddy,” he whined. “‘M not gonna see you all week. Please? Just a little?” 

“How about this?” Bucky replied, presenting another chocolate to Steve’s mouth. Steve ate it and Bucky hummed in approval. “You see about eating a few more of these, and I’ll take care of you. Deal?” 

“Okay,” Steve said. 

“Good boy,” Bucky said. He held another one and Steve ate it, but this time he sucked a bit of Bucky’s finger into his mouth. Bucky just grinned at him and let him. “My sweet, pretty boy.” 

“Are we getting a show or do you want us to leave?” Natasha asked. 

Steve suddenly remembered that he wasn’t alone with Bucky and blushed. He hid his face in Bucky’s neck and Bucky laughed fondly as he resumed stroking his back. 

“I think he’s had enough for today,” Bucky said. “Thanks for coming, though.” 

“Any time. But let’s not make a habit of this, shall we?” she replied. “Come on, baby, we’re leaving.” 

“Yes, Ma’am,” Clint said. “See ya, Steve!” 

It was only after Steve heard the door close that he emerged from Bucky’s neck. Bucky smiled down at him fondly before he leaned in to kiss him again. 

“I think they like you,” Bucky said. Steve scoffed. 

“Yeah, well, next time maybe you could just get me to clean something,” he said. “I didn’t like that.” 

“You’re not supposed to like punishment, doll,” Bucky said. “I can give you pain if that’s what you want or need, but if you break the rules, there’s gotta be consequences. I don’t like punishing you either, but you gotta learn.” 

“What is it that I’m supposed to be learning, anyway?” Steve asked. “I don’t know the reasons behind, like, half the rules you gave me.” 

“Is that why you broke them?” Bucky asked. He held another chocolate to Steve’s mouth. 

“Maybe,” Steve replied. “I’ve never really been one to follow arbitrary rules. It got me in a lot of trouble during school, let me tell you.” 

“We can talk about that later,” Bucky said. “But I probably should explain my rules for you.” 

He wrapped both hands around Steve and held him so they were looking each other in the eyes. It was warm and intimate and Steve felt more settled like this. Daddy was safe. 

“My rules about you following my orders you know already,” Bucky said. “They’re meant to help me take care of you. I’m never gonna tell you to do something you don’t wanna do. I might push your boundaries a bit, but it’s always with your interests in mind.”

“Really? You don’t get anything from bossing me around?” Steve asked with a sly grin. Bucky rolled his eyes and flicked Steve’s earlobe. 

“Yeah, fine, I gotta say that I like it,” Bucky replied. “Brat.” 

“You like it,” Steve replied with a grin. “What does it do for you, exactly?” 

Bucky regarded him for a moment before he spoke. “It makes me feel in control of something,” he said. “I’ve got PTSD from the war, you know. I’ve gotten a lot better over the years, but every now and then I get real anxious or depressed or I get nightmares about what happened. I never know when those times are about to come. Being a Dom helps me feel like I’m in control.” 

Steve looked away. “I’m sorry, Daddy,” he said. “I didn’t know.”

“Hey, baby,” Bucky said, turning Steve’s face to look at him. “It’s okay. You didn’t know because I didn’t tell you. I’m a lot better than I used to be, you don’t gotta worry about me. You hear me?” 

“I hear, Daddy,” Steve said. 

“Now, about you calling me Daddy or Sir and treating me with respect,” Bucky said. “That’s to teach you subservience. You’re my sub. That means that you submit to me. You understand?” 

Steve nodded. “What about the ones where you speak for me in public?” Steve asked. “Are those to teach me that, too, Daddy?” 

“Sort of,” Bucky said. “Those are to get you to relinquish control.” 

“To you,” Steve finished. Bucky smiled. 

“That’s right,” Bucky said. “Some Doms ask for more, like making decisions about their subs’ lives. I prefer to let you have some say.”

“That might be hard for me,” Steve said. Bucky just chuckled. 

“I know, baby boy,” he replied, kissing his cheek. “Don’t worry, Daddy will help you.” 

Steve shivered as he thought about what that might entail. Then he paused. He’d thought that punishment would involve spanking or physical pain and he’d been wrong. Bucky’s form of disciplining him might be similar and not at all something to get excited over. 

“Is discipline different from spanking?” Steve asked. 

“It can be,” Bucky says. “Depends on what I think you need.”

“What if I _want_ a spanking?” Steve asked. 

“If you really need a beating, I’ve got something for you to say,” Bucky said. He leaned in until his mouth was hovering just over the shell of Steve’s ear. “You say, ‘Daddy, please make my ass pretty and red.’” 

Steve shivered again as his blood surged south. Bucky grinned and nipped at Steve’s earlobe. 

“Say it back to me,” Bucky ordered. Steve bit back a moan. 

“Daddy,” he croaked. He cleared his throat. “Daddy, please make my ass pretty and red.” 

“Good boy. See how nice it is when you obey?” Bucky pulled back and put another chocolate to Steve’s lips. Steve ate it and licked some of the residual chocolate off Bucky’s fingers. 

“Thank you, Daddy,” Steve said. 

“You’re welcome, baby boy,” Bucky said. “Now, about the rules against touching yourself or coming without my permission. Any guesses why those are there?” 

“Well, more teaching subservience, I suppose,” Steve replied. 

“That’s part of it,” Bucky agreed. “But there’s another, more important part.” He reached between them and cupped his hand over Steve’s crotch. He rubbed his hand over Steve’s groin and Steve moaned softly. “I’m the only one who gets to make you feel this way, baby. Your orgasms are a gift _I_ give you and you thank me after I let you have them.”

“Fuck,” Steve whined. “Please, please, Daddy.”

“Aww, poor baby,” Bucky cooed. “You’ve been so good for me. Been sittin’ all pretty on my lap and you ain’t done nothin’ even though your little cock’s been hard this whole time. You need your Daddy to touch you?” 

“Y-Yes, Daddy,” Steve begged. “P-Please. Need it, need you.” 

“Yeah, you been a good boy,” Bucky said. He reached into his back pocket and got out a packet of lube and spread it over his hand. 

Steve couldn’t help but giggle, which was definitely not something he usually did. “You just happened to have that with you?” he asked. Bucky grinned and shrugged. 

“Daddy knows what his boy’s gonna need,” he said. He reached down past the hem of Steve’s pants and wrapped his hand around Steve’s cock. He pulled Steve’s pants down and tossed them aside. Steve gasped as the cool air kissed his naked body that remained in Bucky’s lap. Bucky looked down over Steve’s body as he began to tug on his cock almost lazily. 

“Look at you. Such a pretty little boy for Daddy.” 

Steve mewled and jerked in Bucky’s lap. Bucky just hummed and tightened his grip on Steve’s cock. 

“So eager,” Bucky teased. He kissed down Steve’s neck and began sucking on his collarbone. “Such a good little slut.” 

Steve gasped and Bucky hummed. 

“You like that, slut?” Bucky asked. “You like bein’ Daddy’s pretty slut, don’t ya?” 

“Y-Yes, Daddy,” Steve said. He jerked in Bucky’s lap. He could feel Bucky’s hard, thick length beneath him. It made him hot and maybe a little more desperate. 

“Can’t help yourself, can you?” Bucky asked. “Such a desperate and horny little slut. Need your Daddy, don’t you? Need your Daddy to make you come.” 

“Y-Yes, Daddy,” Steve whined. “Please, please let me come?” 

“Now? But we only just started,” Bucky teased. “Maybe I should focus on teaching you endurance so you can keep with your Daddy. Not that it’d matter. We’re not done ‘til I’m done.” 

“Yes, Sir,” Steve moaned. “Need you, need you, Daddy, please.” 

“Like when you beg for me, pretty boy,” Bucky murmured against Steve’s neck. 

He kissed and sucked for a moment before he came off and let go of Steve’s cock. Steve made a noise of protest, to which Bucky just chuckled as he picked up the box of chocolates, closed it, and set it on an end table. Then he moved Steve off his lap and laid him out on the couch with Bucky over him. 

“There,” Bucky said as he wrapped his hand around Steve’s cock again. “Now I can enjoy you like I want to.” 

Bucky kissed and sucked down Steve’s chest. Steve felt like he could hardly breath as he arched off the couch against Bucky’s mouth. Bucky didn’t pay the least bit of attention. He sucked as he willed along Steve’s chest before he wound up at a nipple. Steve gave a startled, high-pitched gasp as Bucky’s mouth closed around it. Bucky came off and looked down at him. 

“Was that good or bad?” he asked. 

“Good,” Steve gasped. “Fuck, no one’s ever… done that to me before.”

Bucky grinned. “Well then,” he purred as he bent back down. “Let Daddy teach you what it can feel like.” 

Steve gasped again as Bucky’s mouth closed once again around his nipple. He alternated between sucking, licking, and biting at the tender flesh. Steve’s body felt like a live wire beneath Bucky’s hands and mouth. His body sang with the sounds of moans and soft gasps. When Bucky came off Steve’s nipple, he grinned and flicked it with his metal hand. The pain lanced through him in exquisite ecstasy. 

“Didn’t know you were that sensitive there, did you, baby?” Bucky murmured as he kissed his way to Steve’s other nipple. “Imagine what fun I could have playing with your pretty little tits like this.” 

“Not tits,” Steve groaned. 

“I calls ‘em like I sees ‘em, doll,” Bucky said before he nipped at Steve’s other nipple. “And I gotta say, your tits are some of the prettiest I’ve seen.” 

Steve gasped again as Bucky’s mouth closed around his other nipple and began sucking. Bucky’s metal hand rose to knead Steve’s now sore and sensitive nipple, teasing the peaked flesh between cold, hard digits. His head was spinning. Bucky’s hand on his dick continued at its slow, leisurely pace, never hurried despite Steve’s building arousal. Steve writhed beneath Bucky’s body. It was amazing and all-consuming and dammit, not enough! 

“Fuck, please, Daddy, need more,” Steve moaned. “Please gimme more.” 

“More what, doll?” Bucky replied, popping off his nipple with a wicked grin. “Gotta be more specific.” 

“More on my cock, Daddy,” Steve begged. “Please, feels so good, need more.” 

“Well, I suppose, since you said please,” Bucky said. His grip tightened on Steve’s cock and his pace quickened. Steve moaned half in arousal, half in relief. Bucky’s mouth left his nipples and traveled down his stomach, kissing the round mound of flesh and along Steve’s stretch marks. It was the most erotic and intimate thing that Steve had ever felt. 

“God, doll, so pretty,” Bucky murmured against Steve’s stomach. “Such a pretty little boy for me.” 

Steve felt his climax building. He was getting so close. He tried to fight it, to push it down. He clenched his stomach in an effort to keep himself from coming, but fuck, it was hard! He’d never really tried to keep from coming before and now it was like he was flying by the seat of his pants, coming apart at the seams, yet held together by Bucky’s will. 

Bucky’s mouth continued moving downward. He didn’t suck Steve’s cock, but he did kiss the head before he moved on to Steve’s thighs. Steve gasped and whined and moaned as Bucky nuzzled his thighs before he began kissing and sucking there, too. 

“You close, baby?” Bucky asked. “You sound close. You gonna come for me? You gonna come for your Daddy?” 

“Please,” Steve gasped. “Please, wanna come, Daddy!” 

“Aww, you wanna come, baby?” Bucky asked. “Does my pretty little slut wanna come in Daddy’s fist?” 

“Yes! Please, please, lemme come, Daddy!” Steve moaned. “Been good, right? Been a good slut for you…” 

Bucky moved up and kissed Steve on the mouth, thrusting his tongue inside him. Steve moaned and sucked desperately on Bucky’s tongue, wrapping his arms around Bucky’s neck and holding onto him desperately. 

“That’s right, you’ve been a very good slut, baby boy,” Bucky murmured against Steve’s lips. “Does that mean you get to come?” 

Steve swallowed. “N-No, Sir,” he said. “O-Only you get to make me come.” 

“That’s right,” Bucky said. “Look at you, learning my rules so quick. Come for your Daddy, baby doll.” 

Steve came with a wrecked moan, his cock pulsing in Bucky’s hand as his come shot out onto Bucky’s fingers. He slumped against the couch when he was done, gasping for breath as Bucky gazed down at him. 

“Good boy,” Bucky murmured. “That’s my good boy.” 

“Thank you, Daddy,” Steve breathed. “That was real nice.” 

“You’re welcome, baby boy,” Bucky said. He kissed Steve once more on the lips before he sat up. Steve just lay there with Bucky between his legs thinking that he was forgetting something. Then it occurred to him and he disentangled himself from Bucky’s body and slid down in front of him. “What ya doin’ doll?” 

“Not done ‘til Daddy’s done,” Steve replied. He knelt between Bucky’s legs and rubbed at the large erection tenting Bucky’s pants. He glanced up at Bucky’s face and his mouth went dry at Bucky’s dark, lustful gaze. 

“You’re right, baby,” Bucky purred, his hand dropping to snag a fistful of Steve’s hair. “One of these days, I’m gonna fuck that pretty little mouth of yours just like this.”

Steve shivered. He watched as Bucky slowly unzipped his cock and pulled it out. The long, thick, uncut length of Bucky’s hard cock was glorious. It was only the second time that Steve had seen it, too, but damn it was fucking hot as hell! Bucky wrapped his hand around the base and immediately started jacking himself off quickly. 

“Today, though, think I’m gonna dirty your pretty face up,” Bucky moaned. “Fuckin’ close, baby boy. Got no idea what you do to me, do ya? Sittin’ there between my legs like you was born to be there. Such a pretty boy, baby.” 

“Fuck, Daddy,” Steve moaned. If he hadn’t literally just come, he would be twitching with arousal. As it is, he’s nearly totally entranced by the sight of Bucky’s fist jerking his cock. He licked and mouthed tentatively at Bucky’s balls, relishing in the scent of the musk and the taste of his sweat. 

“Fuck, baby, I’m close,” Bucky groaned. 

His other hand pulled on Steve’s hair until Steve’s face was angled directly at the head of Bucky’s cock. Bucky came with a grunt and moaned as he released his hot, thick come all over Steve’s face. Steve moaned softly as it hit him. Bucky sighed as he finished, milking the last of his seed from his cock. Steve licked up some that was near his mouth. It was salty and bitter and, bizarrely enough, he liked it. 

“Baby, can I take a picture o’ you like this?” Bucky asked. “What’s your number?” 

“Are you gonna share it?” Steve asked. Bucky shook his head. 

“Gonna go in my private collection,” Bucky said. “Probably gonna jerk off to it later this week while yous gone, though.” 

Well, that was something of an appealing thought. Steve grinned. “8,” he said. “Go ahead.” 

Bucky grinned and snapped a few pictures from various angles before he tossed his phone aside. He swiped his finger through the come on Steve’s face and held it to his lips. Steve took the finger into his mouth and licked the come off it. Bucky pulled it out when it was clean and collected more come before pushing it back into Steve’s mouth. Steve took it willingly. When he was done, Bucky pushed another finger into his mouth and pushed all the way back until Steve was gagging on them. He didn’t come off them, though. 

“Good boy,” Bucky murmured. He smiled darkly down at Steve. “We can work on that, too, if you like.”

Steve nodded around his fingers and Bucky extracted them. Bucky pulled him back up onto the couch and wrapped his arms around him. 

“We’re done for today, baby,” Bucky said. “You can call me Bucky, now, if you want.” 

“Thanks,” Steve breathed. “That was… wow.”

“Have a good time?” Bucky asked. 

“That was the best sex I’ve ever had,” Steve declared. 

“I’m glad, Steve,” Bucky said. “Now, what do you need?” 

“Need?” Steve asked. 

“For aftercare,” Bucky replied. “Some subs need food, some need cuddles, some need to be pampered, some need sweets. Can you think of anything?” 

Steve thought for a moment before he took his contacts out, put them in their case, lay his head on Bucky’s chest, and closed his eyes. 

“Just… hold me,” he said. “Pet my hair, tell me I was good.” 

Bucky wrapped his arms around him and put his flesh hand on his head and began stroking. 

“I’ve got you,” he murmured. “You were so good today. Couldn’t ask for better.” 

A warm, safe, content feeling draped over Steve like a blanket. He hummed happily as he listened to Bucky’s words. At some point, Steve fell asleep to the litany of praise from Bucky’s mouth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos give me life, y'all! <3


	12. Chapter 12

Steve awoke sometime later feeling rested and comfortable. Bucky was still beneath him, still stroking his hair. He didn’t open his eyes at first, just luxuriated in the welcoming warmth of Bucky’s body. He could get used to this. 

His mind felt surprisingly clear for what had just transpired. During the… he supposed it was a scene, the only thing that seemed to matter was Bucky. Even the fact that they weren’t technically alone seemed secondary to the fact that Bucky was disappointed in him. 

Afterwards, it was the most intense and satisfying sex Steve had ever had with another person. It was also so effortless. With Brock, Steve was rarely satisfied and often physically and emotionally exhausted after sex, but Bucky made him somehow tap into hidden preserves of energy and made him keep going. 

Part of him wondered when he could do it again. The rational part of him knew that he should hold off on it for a while. It sucked, but at least Bucky would probably have more fun next time. 

Eventually he stirred and Bucky shifted beneath him. Steve looked up and smiled sleepily. 

“Morning,” he said. 

“Mornin’, doll,” Bucky replied. “Sleep well?” 

“Like a baby,” Steve replied. “You’re real comfy.” 

“I’m glad,” Bucky murmured. He leaned down to kiss him on the mouth. Steve hummed into the softness of Bucky’s lips. “How are you feeling?” 

“Tired, but…” Steve trailed off. “You know how when you do something that scares you and afterwards you feel really alive, but also kinda tired?” 

“I’m a Marine,” Bucky deadpanned. “I’m sure I know something about that.” 

“Sorta feel like that,” Steve said. “But… I’m sorry the first thing you had to do was punish me.”

“Steve,” Bucky said sternly. Steve looked up at him. “When I say that I forgive you, I mean it. You don’t have to beat yourself up over it. That’s my job, and when I say you’re done, you’re done. You understand?” 

Steve nodded. “Thanks,” he said. His stomach rumbled. “God, what time is it?” 

Bucky pulled out his phone and whistled. “It’s almost 3,” he said. Steve groaned. 

“That means I gotta leave in a couple hours,” he whined. “I gotta be in bed by 7, which means I gotta eat dinner soon.” 

“Yeah, guess chocolate doesn’t much count as lunch,” Bucky replied. 

“And I just had a nap, so who even knows if I’ll be able to sleep,” Steve whined. “I like Wanda’s gramps, but God, I wish I had regular hours.” 

“Any chance you can find a different job?” Bucky asked. “One where you don’t have to get up at ass o’ clock in the morning?” 

“I’ve been debating it,” Steve replied. “Full-time jobs are hard to find these days, though, especially in office type settings. Most places are temps.”

“What would you do if you could do anything, though?” Bucky asked. 

“Pay off my student loans,” Steve said immediately. “Double my pay, get actual health insurance, get a nicer apartment with my friends, or something, never eat pot roast again.” 

“I’m serious,” Bucky said. 

“So am I,” Steve replied. “It’s hard to try and make plans for the future when you have student debt weighing you down. Hell, most months I can barely scrape enough money together to feed myself after rent and loan payments.” 

Bucky frowned. “How are you all getting by in that apartment?” he asked. 

“Sam’s got his own loans for grad school and a job at the VA,” Steve said. “Bruce, I guess, has the same, but he’s also a Graduate Assistant and that comes with a teaching job that comes with a really small amount, but it helps. Wanda’s got her music tips, and I… I get a little extra cash from art commissions.” 

“Jesus,” Bucky breathed. “And you all barely afford that apartment?” 

“It was the one we could find,” Steve said. “Still, if I didn’t have them, I’d probably be homeless.” 

“Wow,” Bucky said in amazement. 

“Yeah. Could be worse, though,” Steve said. “I could have roommates who don’t help with the rent and have to worry about which utility I think I’ll need least next month so I can afford to eat.” 

“I’ve been there,” Bucky said. “It was a while back, but I’ve been there.” 

“This is New York,” Steve replied. “Pretty sure that’s life for all of us except the really well off.” 

“You mean Stark?” Bucky asked with a chuckle. 

“Probably! Bet he doesn’t worry about rent or anything!” Steve said. They both laughed at that. Then Steve groaned. “I don’t wanna go to work tomorrow.” 

“Any chance you can play hookie?” Bucky asked. Steve snorted. 

“Sure, if I didn’t want to pay rent or buy groceries,” he replied. “Hell, most weeks I barely have one day off, let alone two.” 

Bucky pouted and Steve was struck once more by the ridiculous ease with which he did that. He smiled and crawled up to close the distance between them and kissed him. Bucky hummed against him and Steve’s smile grew. 

“When’s your next day off?” Bucky asked. Steve groaned. 

“Saturday,” he replied. “I won’t have two days off in a week for a while.” 

“Baby boy,” Bucky whined. 

“I know, it sucks,” Steve replied with a sigh. 

“I’m gonna throw an idea out there for you,” Bucky said. “You don’t have to say yes or anything, but it’s an idea.” 

“Okay?” Steve asked. 

“What if… I gave you an allowance?” Bucky asked. Steve looked up at him in surprise for a moment. 

“A what?” he asked. 

“You know what an allowance is, right?” Bucky replied. “I’d give you some money, you don’t have to take as many shifts at the coffee shop, we get to spend a little more time together.” 

Steve bristled at that for some reason. “I don’t need charity, Bucky,” he said. 

“It’s not charity,” Bucky said. 

“It sounds like charity,” Steve said. “We’re getting by just fine on our own and yeah, I’m busy as hell and we’re all kinda struggling, but that doesn’t mean we need help.” 

“Yeah, but the thing is, you don’t have to,” Bucky said. 

“I really don’t need your money,” Steve said. “I appreciate that you buy me nice things and take me out and stuff, but I don’t want to be completely dependent on you just because you’re rich.”

Bucky sighed. “All right, I get it,” he said. Steve blinked. 

“You… do?” he asked. 

“What? You thought I would order you to take my money?” Bucky asked. Steve shrugged. “Baby, if you don’t want to do something, you don’t have to do it. You always have a way out, if you need it.” 

“My safeword,” Steve said. “I could use my safeword for that?” 

“You can use it for anything,” Bucky said. “We can be out dancing and if you’ve had enough, you can use it and we’ll stop. Any time you’re not comfortable with something, you can use it.” 

“Huh,” Steve said. “That’s… good to know.” 

Bucky kissed him on the forehead again. “Just so you know, my safeword is winter,” he said. “If I’m uncomfortable doing something with you, I’ll use it.” 

“Winter. Got it,” Steve replied. He groaned and sat up and stretched languidly before he stood. “I’m sorry, I really gotta get going.”

Bucky sighed and sat up, as well. “Before you go, I need to say something.” 

“Okay,” Steve replied as Bucky stood up. 

“I want you to check in with me tomorrow,” Bucky said. “Once before you go to work, again during your break, and again before you go to bed.” 

“Like, you want me to call you or text?” Steve asked. 

“Call,” Bucky said. “I’ll make the time.” 

“Okay? I guess that’s fine. What am I checking in about?” Steve asked. 

“I need to know if you experience any signs of sub drop,” Bucky said. “This was your first scene and it was a bit intense. If you feel lousy about yourself, or ashamed, or sad, or cold, or any other symptoms of depression, you call me. That’s an order and it’s non-negotiable.” 

“Okay,” Steve replied. Bucky raised an eyebrow and Steve rolled his eyes. “I mean, yes, Sir.” 

“I’m serious, Steve,” Bucky said. “If you don’t feel right, you let me know. Oh, and you need to do this every day for… let’s say the next four days. Sub drop can show up suddenly even if you feel fine for the most part.” 

“Yes, Sir,” Steve said. “Anything else I need to know?” 

“Yes,” Bucky said. “Practice the holding position I taught you every day for at least one hour. Try to get smoother at kneeling and getting up. Send me a list of foods you’ve eaten during the day. And I want you to change my contact in your phone.” 

Steve’s heart skipped a beat at that last one. “To what?” 

“Daddy, what else?” Bucky replied with a smirk. Steve took out his phone with a slight tremor in his hand and changed Bucky’s contact. When he was done, he showed him and Bucky smiled with approval. “Good boy.” 

Steve blushed and put the phone back in his pocket. “Should I call you tonight?” 

“Yes,” Bucky said. “If you miss a call, you’ll be punished again.” 

“Really?” Steve replied. His voice was a bit more of a whine than he’d meant. 

“Yes. Really,” Bucky said. "I'm tryin' to take care of you, Steve. I can't be there all the time to make sure you're okay. Besides, a Dom is supposed to make themselves available to their sub after they've done a scene in case they drop." 

“Okay, Daddy,” Steve said. Bucky bent down and kissed him on the head. 

“Come on, I’ll take you back,” he said. “You need to get anything?” 

“Just my overnight bag,” Steve replied. “Won’t be long.”

He turned around to leave and Bucky playfully swatted his ass. Steve yelped in surprise and turned around. Bucky’s eyes danced with mischief and his eyebrows were raised as though daring Steve to say something. Steve set his jaw in spite of the flush on his cheeks and continued on. 

Yeah, it sucked that he had to keep going to work, but Bucky… he seemed to make it better, at least.

* * *

The mattress shook as Steve’s alarm went off. Steve groaned as he reached over to his phone and turned it off. He sighed with relief as the bed stilled. Despite his best efforts, he really didn’t want to get up this morning. Five minutes later, the bed shook again and Steve groaned as he got up. 

Steve went through his usual half-awake morning routine. The shower was lukewarm, at best, and the water pressure wasn’t nearly as nice as Bucky’s but it got him clean. Then he pulled on his usual short sleeved navy button up with khakis, still somewhat groggily, and went through the motions of making himself an exciting breakfast of nutrient enriched cheerios, brushed his teeth, and stepped out the door. 

It wasn’t until he was on his way to the metro that he remembered that he was supposed to call Bucky. He took his phone out of his pocket and dialed the number, still much too asleep to grin at the name Bucky’s contact was listed as. Bucky picked up almost as soon as the phone started ringing. 

“Hey, baby,” Bucky said. His voice was a bit gravelly from sleep. “How you feelin’?” 

“Tired,” Steve groaned. “Haven’t had coffee yet.” 

“You’re a barista and you didn’t make yourself coffee?” Bucky asked. 

“No point,” Steve replied. “It’d be cold by the time anyone else was up. Also, we don’t have a coffee maker anymore.” 

“What happened?” Bucky asked. 

“One of my roommates is bipolar,” Steve said. “During a manic episode he dismantled it trying to make it better. It didn’t work and by the time the episode passed, he couldn’t put it back together and we never had the money to replace it.” 

“Do you want to?” Bucky asked. 

“Not really,” Steve said. “That was the spare, anyway. Three guesses what happened to the original.” 

“Ah, well, that sucks,” Bucky replied. “Well, other than a lack of coffee, how are you feeling?” 

“I’m fine,” Steve said. “I’ll be better once I get to the shop and have a couple cups. I’m hoping today will be busy. Mondays usually are, since people are hungover from the weekend and everything.” 

“I do better when there’s shit to do, too,” Bucky said. “Well, I’m satisfied. Behave yourself at work. I’ll see you later.” 

Steve grinned to himself. “No promises, Daddy.” 

“Punk,” Bucky replied. He yawned and Steve chuckled himself. 

“Go back to bed, Bucky,” he said. “I’ll see you for your morning coffee.” 

“Okay, baby. See ya.” 

He hung up. Steve walked down the steps of the metro feeling slightly more alive.

* * *

Monday and Tuesday passed relatively smoothly. Bucky agreed to use the time he came in for his morning cup as his second check-in. Steve would chat with Bucky as he prepared his daily Frappuccino and Bucky would kiss him before he left. Peter and Darcy were insufferable about it, but Steve didn’t even try to dissuade them or to hide the smile it left on his face. 

On Wednesday, though, he woke up before his alarm. That wasn’t unusual in and of itself, but he felt a bit off. He lay in bed staring up at the ceiling and wondering what he should do about it. It was probably just a side effect of being busy and only halfway through the week. It wouldn’t be the first time. 

He shrugged and turned off his alarm as he got up to get ready. He might as well be up if he was awake. He walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower. It was cold, today. Someone must have been up late and used all the lukewarm water. Steve sighed and grimaced as he stepped into the icy stream. It felt terrible and he went as quickly as he could. 

When he emerged and dressed himself, he went to pour himself a bowl of cereal, only to discover that the person who was in charge of buying milk (whoever that had been most recently) hadn’t gotten any. There was a sliver of milk in left and so Steve had to eat his breakfast mostly dry. It wasn’t bad, it was just annoying. 

By the time he left his apartment, he was in a thoroughly bad mood that he couldn’t seem to shake. He scowled down at his phone before he called Bucky. This time, unlike the other times Steve had called Bucky, he didn’t pick up. It went to his voicemail. Steve tried again and a third time, but he didn’t answer. 

It was the icing on the cake, it turned out. As Steve went down to the metro and started waiting for the train, there was a group of late night partiers carousing nearby. They were clearly drunk in the way that many of the people who were out this late were. They were also, unfortunately heading his way. 

One of them was swaying a bit dangerously. On instinct, because no matter how bad a mood Steve was in, he couldn’t ignore someone in trouble, he ran over to steady him before he could fall close to the edge of the tracks. 

“Whoa, thanks, man,” the guy said. His breath reeked of alcohol and Steve had to stop himself from gagging. 

“No problem, just be careful,” Steve said. The guy looked like he was about to say something, but instead, he threw up. All. Over. Steve’s. Clothes. Steve shouted in disgust as he backed away. 

“Oh, sorry,” the guy said. 

“God dammit, these were new!” Steve shouted. 

He stormed off before the guy could say anything else, blushing in humiliation as he passed people who all stared at him covered in puke. It was a 10 minute walk from the metro station to his apartment and the entire time, he tried to think about anything other than what had just happened. 

As soon as he was back, he stripped out of his clothes. As luck would have it, the sink was full of dirty dishes and Steve had to get them all out and clean the sink before he put his clothes in to soak. Then he got a stiff brush out from under the sink and brushed the vomit off his shoes before mixing baking powder with a bit of water until it became a paste and applied it to the stained parts of his shoes. 

That was probably the worst part of the whole thing. These shoes were the nice ones that Bucky got him. They had memory foam and extra support for his arches and he could stand in them all day and feel relatively fine. He’d have to use the old shoes that were much less accommodating, but at least he’d have something.

He left a note out for his roommates about what had happened and ran back to the bathroom to shower again. He scrubbed almost violently until he felt clean and threw more clothes on before rushing out the door. By now, he was feeling less than charitable towards the world and not looking forward to his day. He dialed the number for the coffee shop.

“Hello?” Mikhail asked. 

“Hey, Mikhail, it’s Steve,” Steve said. “I’m gonna be a little late. I had some… issues with the commute this morning.” 

“What happened?” he asked. 

“Some drunk threw up on me,” Steve muttered. “I had to turn around and go back home to change.” 

“I am very sorry to hear that,” Mikhail replied. “I will see you soon, then.” 

Steve hung up. Before he put his phone back in his pocket, though, he tried to call Bucky again. He swore as the phone kept ringing and went to the voicemail. He was so angry he felt tears smarting at his eyes. He growled and wiped them away and kept walking. 

Thankfully, there were no drunks by the time he got back to the station. The metro station was almost completely empty aside from people like him who were heading into work. Steve kept to himself as much as possible. He was feeling especially prickly right now and there wasn’t much that was going to change that. 

He wished Bucky was there. He wished Bucky had picked up. He wanted to crawl into his bed at Bucky’s house and have his Daddy cuddle him. A cold feeling twisted in his stomach and Steve folded his arms. 

Bucky probably got tired of me, he thought. Just like Brock. Probably figured I’m too high maintenance to bother with this. 

He couldn’t help but feel a bit really dejected. Bucky had promised. He’d promised to be awake for Steve to talk to during his check in and the first time Steve actually needed to talk to him, he wasn’t awake. Knowing his luck, Bucky had wised up. 

It wasn’t a fair thought. It wasn’t charitable either to Bucky or to himself, but Steve wasn’t feeling very gracious. He was feeling cold and lonely and angry and annoyed and fucking tired and anxious and on top of everything else, he could feel a headache coming on. 

Fuck this. Fuck this day all to hell, he thought bitterly. He got on the train as it pulled into the station a full 15 minutes later than it was supposed to and sat down. He got his phone out and started listening to _Panic! At the Disco_. It didn’t do as much as it normally did. Brendon Urie was his celebrity crush, but even his favorite band didn’t seem to be lifting the funk he’d settled in. He sighed as he resigned himself to waiting it out.

* * *

Several hours, 3 cups of coffee, and a couple Russian tea cakes later, Steve was still in the same mood as he’d been in early that morning. Peter and Darcy gave him a wide berth, which didn’t help his mood at all. Actually, it only made him guilty for being snappy with them. He didn’t want to be biting their heads off. They didn’t deserve it, but honestly, he couldn’t help it. He’d gotten three orders wrong, the first ones he’d messed up in a long time and he was torn between hating himself and hating each and every customer who walked through the door. 

By the time 10:00 rolled around and he took his break, Steve was thoroughly done with that day. He sat in the break room with a cup of coffee in his hands and Mikhail sat down next to him. 

“Steven, what is wrong?” he asked. Steve grimaced but didn’t answer. He didn’t trust himself to. This bad morning had turned into a bad day and nothing seemed to help him. His emotional state seemed held together by a bit of thin twine that was strained to its limit. He just shook his head. “This boyfriend, has he mistreated you?” 

“No,” Steve croaked. “I don’t… I don’t know what’s wrong today. I’m sorry, I just don’t understand why I’m like this.” 

Mikhail regarded him for a moment before he groaned and stood up. “Well, I hope that you feel better later,” he said. “You take the next few days off.” 

“What?!” Steve demanded. “Why?!” 

“You are not well, Steven,” Mikhail said. “You take no sick days. Is good sometimes, very committed, but is sometimes silly. I make you take sick days. You come back next week when you are better.” 

“I don’t need sick days, I can work just fine!” Steve protested. 

“You bite poor Peter’s head off every time he look at you,” Mikhail said. “Darcy, she can handle the customers. You go home. Get rest and feel better.” 

With that, Mikhail walked out of the room. Steve sighed. It didn’t help him. He felt like he’d failed somehow, that he hadn’t measured up. He took his apron off and gathered his things blankly before walking out. He half expected to see Bucky there. He wasn’t. He sighed and headed off towards the metro station. He did his best to ignore the storm of various feelings of anxiety, dread, anger, and dejection that swirled around in his mind.

* * *

Bucky dashed through the doors at 10:30, keenly aware that he was late. He’d woken up at 9, having slept straight through his alarms for early in the morning. He’d debated calling Steve back, but he knew that he would probably be busy at work. The three missed calls he got from Steve sat in his stomach like a lead brick. 

The line was relatively short, but as Bucky looked around, he couldn’t see Steve. Maybe he was in the break room or something. He got to the front of the line and Steve’s coworker, Darcy, was at the front. She glared at him with uncharacteristic iciness. Bucky didn’t pay as much attention to Steve’s coworkers, for obvious reasons, but they had always been friendly. 

“You’re here,” she said. “The usual?”

“Where’s Steve?” Bucky asked. “It’s important.”

Darcy crossed her arms and glared at him. “Why should I tell you?” she asked. 

“I’m his boyfriend,” Bucky said. “Is he okay?” 

“You being his boyfriend really doesn’t mean shit,” she said. “You’re holding up the line. Order something or get out.” 

Bucky set his jaw. He ruefully admitted that it was a good thing that Steve's friends were so loyal and he understood what inspired that kind of devotion, but he was starting to have a really bad feeling. He left without ordering anything and got his phone out. He opened the contacted labelled, “Baby Boy” and dialed the number. It went straight to voicemail. 

“Steve,” he said. “Call me back as soon as you get this message. That’s an order, baby. I’m sorry I slept through your calls, I didn’t hear my alarm go off. I swear it’s got nothin’ to do with ya, baby boy. Not mad at ya, I promise.” 

He hung up. For a moment he debated heading to work and going back to Steve’s apartment. It was a short debate. He headed towards the nearest metro station and sent an email to Tony explaining the situation. Considering how many times in the past he’d had to take a couple days off due to sub drop, Bucky didn’t expect any issues with taking today or longer off to take care of Steve. He tucked the phone into his pocket and all but ran to the nearest metro.

* * *

Steve was curled up on the couch staring blankly at the wall in front of him. He felt a little bit like a stereotype, but right now, he was finding it difficult to care. He was trying not to feel like he was a failure at life. He was only about to get fired from his job. Why else would Mikhail all but kick him bodily from the coffee shop? He was only about to get dumped. Why else would Bucky not pick up? 

He knew he had a voicemail from Bucky. He was just afraid to listen to it. Bucky hadn’t picked up for a reason. Steve was actively trying to think of anything but what that probably meant.

His moody reverie was interrupted by Bruce walking in. It made sense. Wednesdays were his slow days and he generally spent them here or out at a local coffee shop working on his master’s thesis and applying for doctorate programs. Steve frequently forgot that Bruce was only a year or so older than him. His life seemed pretty well together when he wasn’t in a manic or major depressive episode. He took one look at Steve and stopped in his tracks. 

“Are you okay?” he asked. 

“I’m fine,” Steve said automatically. 

“Oh, okay,” Bruce replied. 

He headed towards the counter and filled an electric kettle with water. Must be in a tea kind of mood, Steve thought. It was amazing how quickly he and his roommates made the switch between coffee and tea, though Steve still preferred coffee. Once the kettle was plugged into the wall he walked back over to Steve and sat down on an old, ragged armchair they’d bought at a thrift shop shortly after they moved in. It was a hideous, green and cream plaid color, but for some reason, Bruce had liked it almost immediately. 

“So what’s really going on?” Bruce asked. 

“Nothing!” Steve protested. There was more of an edge to his voice than he intended, but Bruce, apparently seemed unimpressed. 

“If you say so,” Bruce said. “Do you mind if I make an observation, though?” 

“Knock yourself out,” Steve drawled. 

“You seem a bit like me at the moment,” he said. “You know, when I’m depressed. A little spacy, short tempered, and really low in energy. And that’s just from what I just saw. It doesn’t seem like you.” 

“Congrats, you’re a genius,” Steve replied. 

“See, that right there is what I’m talking about,” Bruce said. “And if I could make another observation, you weren’t even like this after you broke up with Brock, so what’s up?” 

“I don’t know!” Steve shouted. “Leave me alone, cause I don’t fucking know what’s wrong with me! So excuse me if I want to be left alone!” 

At that moment, the kettle started gurgling and Bruce got up. Steve watched as Bruce filled two mugs with the water and put tea bags in. He brought one over to Steve and set it down. 

“I know,” Bruce said. “I like to be left alone, too when I’m like this, but my therapist says that it’s bad for you. I’m not gonna force you, though. It’s up to you.” 

Bruce walked out and Steve stared at the cup of tea that he left behind. He didn’t move to drink from it. There was no point so soon after the tea had been added to the hot water. He did, however, sit up and clutch the mug to his chest. Some of the warmth seeped into his body. It helped, even if it was just a little bit. 

He lost track of how much time passed. He focused on the warmth. It was better than letting his mind wander. His reverie was broken by a sharp knock at the door. He nearly jumped, but he didn’t get up. If it was someone Bruce was expecting, he’d get the door. He wasn’t expecting anyone, and if it was one of his roommates who’d lost their keys, they’d text. Whoever they were, they knocked again, just as insistent. Steve still didn’t get up. 

He only moved when his phone started vibrating. He looked down and nearly dropped his mug. It was Bucky. For a brief moment, he considered not picking up, but curiosity won out in the end. He answered the phone. 

“Hey,” he said. 

“Steve, are you home?” Bucky asked. 

“Yeah, why?” Steve asked. 

“I’m here,” he said. “Can I come in?” 

Steve didn’t say anything. He couldn’t. His lower lip trembled for a moment before he let out a sob. God, just hearing Bucky’s voice seemed to soothe some ache in him. He sobbed again and sniffed as he tried to get ahold of himself. 

“Baby,” Bucky said softly over the phone. “Come on, let me in. Gotta take care of my baby boy.” 

“Y-You’re h-here to t-take care of m-me?” Steve asked.

“Of course, baby,” Bucky replied. “Can’t let you cry on your own.”

Steve sighed and put the mug down as he got up. He walked to the door and opened it. Sure enough, Bucky was standing there with a worried look on his face. He took one look at Steve and his face softened. He hung up and walked forward. Steve practically fell into his arms with a sob. It was pathetic. He shouldn’t be this fragile. He’d never been the sort to cry at the drop of a hat, and yet, here he was. He was crying for the second time this week because of Bucky. 

“Shh, it’s okay, baby boy. Daddy’s here,” Bucky murmured. “Daddy’s gonna make it better, okay?” 

“Daddy,” Steve cried into Bucky’s chest. “I’m sorry, Daddy. Please don’t be mad.” 

“Baby, Daddy’s not mad,” Bucky murmured. His grip on Steve tightened. “Promise, Daddy’s not mad at you.” 

Steve’s nerves settled. He promised. Daddy promised. He pulled back a bit, but didn’t meet Bucky’s eyes. 

“I don’t know what’s happening to me,” Steve said softly. 

“You wanna go inside?” Bucky asked. “We can talk about it there.” 

Steve shook his head. “Wanna go back with you,” he said. “Don’t want them to see me like this.” 

“Okay, baby. I’ll call a ride,” Bucky said. “You wanna pack a bag?” 

Steve nodded. “Is… Is it okay if I stay at your place for a few days?” he asked. “My boss sorta… kicked me out and told me not to come back until Monday.” 

Bucky’s eyebrows rose. “Sounds like you’ve had quite a day,” he said. 

Steve would’ve laughed if it wasn’t 100% accurate in more ways than he felt like thinking about at the moment. He was tired. He was cranky. He was weirdly emotional in a way he usually wasn’t. He wanted to crawl into bed and not emerge for a few days no matter what anyone else needed from him. Bucky being there made it better, though he still needed… something.

Bucky stroked a hand down Steve’s face. “You wanna pack a bag, or do you want me to do it?” 

Logically, Steve knew that packing a bag was a fairly easy and simple task. Unfortunately, his brain wasn’t very logical today. It seemed like a huge, almost monumental task to accomplish and he was already so tired. The idea of packing his own bag just seemed so… exhausting. 

“You,” he said. “Want you to tell me what to wear.” 

“Okay, baby,” Bucky said. “Need you to come with me to tell me where your stuff is, though. That’s all I need, then I’ll take care of you.” 

Having Bucky there, giving him direction, telling him what to do, it made it easier. He could focus on the directions, in making sure he obeyed Bucky. It wasn’t like Bucky was ordering him around, but it gave him something to focus on if he thought of them like that. Like he’d said, all Bucky needed before he walked over to Steve’s drawers. He rifled through them, packing soft, casual clothes. He packed one set of nice clothes, but the rest seemed to be more casual clothes that were comfortable to sit around in. 

When Bucky was done and they were heading for the car that came to pick them up, he told Steve to send a text to his roommates telling them where he was going. Steve made it fairly brief and said that anyone who wanted to was free to eat the food on his side of the fridge. 

Bucky guided him to the car and opened the door for him. Steve crawled across the seat and sat down. As soon as Bucky was inside, he pulled Steve to rest his head on his shoulder. Bucky’s metal shoulder was decidedly less comfortable than his flesh shoulder, but it was still him. Bucky wrapped his arm around Steve’s body and pulled him close against his body. 

“I got you a travel mug for your tea,” Bucky said, handing him the mug. “I want you to try and drink it on the way to my place. Can you do that?” 

Steve just nodded and drank the tea. It was still warm and it spread through his body as it settled in his stomach. Once he started, he couldn’t stop and he downed the whole thing. 

“Good boy,” Bucky murmured. Steve smiled as a drowsy feeling crept over him. He closed his eyes and let the solidness of Bucky’s metal arm ground him as they drove through the city.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos give me life, y'all! <3


	13. Chapter 13

As much as Bucky wanted to let Steve sleep, he couldn’t carry him and the suitcase with him into the house. When the driver pulled up in front of Bucky’s address, he shook Steve gently until he came awake. He looked up at him in dazed confusion and Bucky pressed a soft, chaste kiss to his lips. 

“We’re here, baby,” he said softly. “Gotta get out. We can take a nap once we’re inside, okay?” 

Steve nodded. Bucky grabbed the suitcase and stepped out. He helped Steve out, paid the driver with a generous tip, and walked him to the door. Once they were inside, Bucky dropped his bag by the door and led Steve to the couch in the living room. 

He honestly had hoped that Steve wouldn’t experience drop quite this soon in their relationship. He didn’t know what Steve’s specific needs were in a situation like this. He knew what to do in a general sense. His last submissive had wanted lots of fresh fruit, herbal teas, and musicals. The one before that had wanted tasks to keep busy with until it passed. 

Steve, though, Bucky didn’t know what Steve needed because he didn’t know him that well. To make matters worse, Steve himself was new to kink. He tried not to feel selfish about worrying whether this would scare Steve away from kink in general. He pushed the thought from his mind so that he could focus on taking care of Steve.

Steve sat down on the couch and leaned into Bucky’s body. Bucky wrapped his arms around Steve and leaned back so that they were cuddling the way they fell asleep a few days ago. He stroked up and down Steve’s back. Steve hummed softly. 

“You wanna talk?” Bucky asked. He felt Steve nod against his chest. 

“I probably should,” he said. “It’s been a really rough day.” 

“What was rough about it?” Bucky asked. 

“I woke up feeling weird,” Steve replied. “Not sure what was so weird about it, but it was just… you know how some days you just feel off?” 

“Yeah, of course,” Bucky said. 

“It was like that,” Steve said. “Then, the shower was cold because our building’s hot water is shit. Then I didn’t have milk for cereal. I called you a couple times while I was walking to the metro.” 

“I’m sorry,” Bucky murmured. “That’s my fault, not yours. I slept right through my alarms.” 

Steve hummed sadly against Bucky’s chest and nuzzled his face against him. Bucky resumed stroking up and down his back and Steve sighed against his chest.

“I hate this,” Steve growled. “I was pissed off that you weren’t picking up. Then I ran into a group of drunks in the station and one of them was close to the edge. I pulled him back and then he threw up on me.” 

“He didn’t,” Bucky gasped. Steve sighed and nodded. “Gross!” 

“Yeah, so I had to go back, change, put my clothes in the sink, clean off the nice shoes you got me, take another cold shower, and head back out,” Steve said. “Tried to call you again when I left, but…” 

“I’m sorry,” Bucky murmured. “You were having a rough day and you’re dropping and I wasn’t there for you.” 

Steve sniffed. “I thought you didn’t want me anymore,” he said. “I thought you got tired of taking care of me.” 

“Oh, baby boy,” Bucky whispered. He wrapped his arms tightly around Steve’s body. A new wave of guilt washed over him. If he hadn’t slept through his alarm, he could’ve recognized what Steve was going through and helped him. He kissed the top of Steve’s head. “I’m so sorry.”

“You’re not, right?” Steve asked. “You’re not tired of me, right, Daddy?” 

“No, baby boy,” Bucky replied immediately. “Daddy loves taking care of his baby boy, okay? It’s not your fault I didn’t answer. If I got a problem with what you’re doing, you’ll know, we’ll talk about it, and I’ll punish you, but I’m never gonna just leave you out to dry.” 

“I—I believe you,” Steve said. “I don’t know why I thought it, I just felt so bad.” 

“You’re goin’ through sub drop, baby,” Bucky murmured. “Makes you feel bad after a scene, even though you got nothin’ to feel bad about.” 

Steve didn’t say anything for a while. Bucky kept petting him. His flesh hand ran through his hair while his metal hand ran along his back. He tried to think of things to do for Steve to help him feel better. A sub’s first drop could be scary, especially if they didn’t know what helped them cope with it. 

“It got worse,” Steve said eventually. Bucky bit back a comment of how a day like that could possibly get worse. “My boss and coworkers all knew something was wrong and I got sent home at 10 for snapping at people.” 

“Was the work helping you?” Bucky asked. Steve shrugged. 

“Not really, I don’t think,” he replied. “It didn’t help my mood, it just gave me something else to think about.” 

“I’m sorry it didn’t help, then,” Bucky said. 

“I’m trying not to think that I’m about to get fired,” Steve said. “It’s just… been a really bad day and I just feel pathetic and weak and I hate it.” 

“I know, baby boy, I know,” Bucky murmured. “You’re not weak. You’re one of the kindest, sweetest, bravest people I know. Bet you make your ma real proud.” 

“Thanks,” Steve said. 

“Do you feel better now that you’ve talked about it?” Bucky asked. 

“A little,” Steve replied. “Mostly I’m hungry and my feet hurt. Haven’t eaten since 3:30.” 

“Well, that’s no good,” Bucky said. “You gotta keep up your strength. You wanna order somethin’?”

Steve hummed. “I want tacos,” he said. “I haven’t had tacos in forever.” 

“I know a place nearby. Clint swears by it, which means that it has to be good,” Bucky said. “Any kind you feel in the mood for?” 

“You pick,” Steve said. “Don’t wanna think about things.” 

“Okay, baby,” Bucky said. “I’m gonna get you some steak tacos to make sure your iron is good. Lots of veggies, too. You like cheese?” 

Steve slowly looked up at him with a hint of wryness on his face. It was a good sign, at least, if Steve was feeling a little bratty. 

“Is that a serious question?” he asked. “I literally got mozzarella sticks on our first date.” 

“Some people are weird,” Bucky said with a shrug. 

“Says the person who likes being called ‘Daddy’,” Steve replied. 

“And the person who likes calling me that,” Bucky countered with a grin. 

He fished his phone out of his pocket and found the place Clint mentioned on GrubHub. He ordered plenty in case Steve was really hungry. He also got an order of chips and queso. When the order was placed, he put his phone in his pocket. 

It took about half an hour for the food to get delivered. Steve almost didn’t let Bucky get up, but Bucky kissed him softly with the promise that he would be right back. Bucky paid and tipped the delivery boy before he returned to the living room. Steve was curled up on the couch and Bucky sat right next to him. 

“Hey, baby boy,” he said. “I got your food for you. Can you sit up?” 

Steve sat up and Bucky pulled him so that he was sitting in Bucky’s lap. The tacos were all arranged in a to-go box, each wrapped in aluminum foil and toasty warm and stuffed with steak, rice, and sautéed veggies. He handed one to Steve and tore the foil off for him. Steve dug in eagerly. He moaned at the first bite and Bucky smiled. He took a bite of his own. It was pretty good. Clint definitely knew what he was talking about. The Mexican flavors added a bit more kick to it than the average Tex-Mex place. 

Steve finished his and just sat there while Bucky ate his. He was halfway done when he noticed that Steve hadn’t gotten another one. _Wow, he really needs direction when he’s dropping_ , Bucky thought. 

“You want another one, baby?” Bucky asked. 

“Yes, please,” Steve said. 

_He’s also very… childlike like this_ , Bucky thought. 

It was interesting. It might mean nothing, or it could mean that Steve regressed when he was stressed out. God knew that he’d had a hell of a day. If Bucky had had a day like his, he’d have gone home and taken his frustrations out on his sub. Probably by flogging. Or maybe caning. God, Bucky hadn’t watched a sub writhe from the sharp stinging pain of a cane in ages. If Steve was as masochistic as he hinted, Bucky couldn’t wait to work him up to that. 

Bucky pushed those thoughts aside. He’d planned to spank Steve this weekend, just for the fun of it. Now he would have to wait until Steve was back to feeling his old self, which could be days. The signs were favorable, but Bucky still wanted to be sure that he wasn’t in danger of dropping again before he did anything. 

“Why didn’t you say so?” Bucky asked. He reached into the bag and handed him another and experimentally didn’t tear the foil back. Steve held it out to him with a somewhat plaintive look and Bucky smiled at him. “You want some help with your taco, baby?” 

Steve nodded and Bucky took a note of it as he tore the foil at the end of the taco. Steve handled the rest as he dug in. Bucky smiled fondly at him as he finished his own taco. He watched carefully to make sure Steve didn’t choke, but fortunately, while Steve was enthusiastic, he wasn’t reckless. 

“You want somethin’ to drink, baby?” he asked. Steve swallowed his own mouthful of food before he spoke. 

“What do you have?” he asked. 

“I got orange juice, water, milk, or I could get you some coffee,” Bucky replied. “Nothin’ like what you can do, but it’s coffee.” 

“I want orange juice,” Steve said. Bucky patted Steve’s ass gently. 

“Okay, need ya to let me up, baby,” Bucky said. Steve pouted a bit as he slid off Bucky’s lap and onto the couch. Bucky got up and bent down to kiss his forehead. “I’ll be back in a bit.” 

“Okay, Daddy,” Steve said. 

Bucky headed out towards the kitchen and poured a glass of orange juice. Part of him wished that he had straws or something, but he settled for just having the juice. He took it back and handed it to Steve.

Steve had another taco and some of the chips and queso before he said he was full. Bucky himself didn’t eat as much, choosing instead to pay more attention to Steve. His appetite seemed normal, at least, but he still seemed down and lethargic. 

“How do you feel?” Bucky asked. 

“Full,” Steve replied. “A bit tired, but I don’t feel like sleeping.” 

“What do you feel like doing?” Bucky asked. Steve shrugged. 

“I sort of wanna draw something,” Steve said. “But… I don’t feel like… doing the actual drawing, you know?” 

“I think I understand,” Bucky replied. “You want to be able to draw without thinking too much about what you’re doing.” 

“Yeah,” Steve said. He drew in on himself. 

“Hey, it’s okay, baby,” Bucky said. “You really wanna draw somethin’, huh?” Steve sniffed and nodded. 

“I just wanna like doing the things that I like doing,” he said. “But… I’m just this fatty who can’t do nothin’ but eat. I’m like a walkin’, talkin’ stereotype and I hate it.” 

“Hey, hey, doll, it’s okay,” Bucky said softly. He wrapped his arms around Steve again and ran his hands over Steve’s soft, round body. “You’re gorgeous, baby boy. I love your body so damn much, remember? And you don’t gotta worry about drawing. Daddy will think of something, okay? Do you trust me?” 

Steve sniffed and nodded. “Okay,” he murmured. He shivered in Bucky’s arms. “I’m cold.” 

“You wanna take a bath?” Bucky asked. Steve looked at him dubiously. 

“You have a bath?” he asked. 

“Yeah, punk, I got a bath,” Bucky said. “It’s nice, too, you wanna see?” 

“Okay,” Steve replied. 

Bucky helped him up and led him up the stairs to the master suite. He went straight to the bathroom and opened the door, revealing a large bathroom with warm beige colored tiles. In one corner of the bathroom was a glass shower with a bench jutting out from the wall and two shower heads on each side of the wall. In another corner was an equally large bathtub set into the floor, big enough for two people and room to spare. It was complete with Jacuzzi water jet settings. Steve looked around in amazement. 

“You don’t have a bathroom,” he said. “You have a fucking spa. You’ve been holding out on me, jerk.” 

“Language, punk,” Bucky replied with a chuckle. “So, do you want a bath?” 

Steve seemed to think about it. He seemed to say something, but stopped himself. Bucky reached out and brushed his fingers down Steve’s cheek. 

“Baby, if you want something, you just gotta ask,” he said. “Anything you want, I promise.” 

“It’s silly,” Steve protested weakly. 

“So?” Bucky asked. “If it’ll help you feel better, it can’t be that silly.” 

“Can there be bubbles?” Steve asked. Bucky smiled and kissed his forehead. 

“You wanna take a bubble bath?” Bucky asked. Steve smiled sheepishly and blushed as he nodded. “Okay, we can have a bubble bath.” 

Bucky started filling the tub and rummaged through his bathroom closet before he took out an unopened bottle of lavender bubble bath soap. He brought poured a generous portion into the water as the tub filled. The room was filled with the gentle, soothing scent. Bucky turned to Steve, who was still fully dressed. 

“You want me to step out, now?” Bucky asked. Steve shook his head. 

“Will you… join me?” Steve asked. Bucky leaned down and kissed him lightly on the lips. 

“Of course I will,” he said. “Go on and get undressed and tell me if the water is too hot.” 

Steve stripped out of his clothes quickly and tested the water before he sank in. He sighed as he leaned back against the edge of the tub. Bucky also stripped out of his clothes and he saw Steve’s eyes dart towards his cock as he swallowed. 

“Not today, baby,” he said. “We can have fun when you’re better, okay?” 

“Okay,” Steve replied. Bucky climbed into the tub and sighed as the warm water hit his skin. His muscles were soothed. He’d pushed himself a bit last night while working out and his body was somewhat sore, but in a good way. He turned the water off when it was high enough and went about washing Steve’s body. 

“Why’re you doing all this for me?” Steve asked. 

“Because you’re my baby boy,” Bucky said. “And because you’re not feelin’ good and I’m tryin’ to help you feel better.” 

“I’m sorry to make you go through all the trouble,” Steve mumbled. 

“Baby, the only time I wanna hear you say you’re sorry is if you’re bein’ punished,” Bucky said firmly but kindly. “You hear me? You ain’t got nothin’ to be sorry for and that’s that.” 

Steve was quiet for a while. Bucky continued to wash his body. He washed over him tenderly and tried to pour all his care and affection for this man through his touches. He wished that he could just do a mind meld or something with him to show Steve just how amazing Bucky thought he was, how beautiful and sweet and brave. 

“I guess I’m not used to people putting in this much effort for me,” Steve said after a while. “I’m usually the one making sure the people around me are okay.” 

“I’m shocked,” Bucky deadpanned. “You’re a good man, Steve. People don’t appreciate good people like they should.” 

“My ex used to say he didn’t know why he hung around,” Steve said so softly Bucky almost missed it. “He never helped me in a fight, just tell me that I was useless in one and there was no point in trying.”

“God, what an asshole,” Bucky said in genuine horror. “What made you leave him?” 

“How do you know I didn’t get dumped?” Steve said humorlessly.

“Call it a hunch,” Bucky said. 

“I didn’t mean to, actually,” Steve replied. “I actually didn’t have any plans to leave him, at first. I thought that I was… not happy, but I thought it could be worse, you know?” 

“I think I understand what you’re talking about,” Bucky said. “What changed that?” 

“I came home one day and found him cheating on me,” Steve said bitterly. Bucky paused in his cleaning him. 

“No!” he breathed. 

“Yes,” Steve said. “I told the guy he was with to leave and he told me that I shouldn’t be surprised because he should get to have sex with attractive guys, too.” 

“Son of a bitch,” Bucky growled. “You deserve better than him. I’m glad you left.” 

“I haven’t gotten to the best part,” Steve said. “I started packing up and he started beating me before he went to take a shower. I got up and put a chair to the door, packed my bags, and called Sam. I was gone before he was done and actually forgot to call the police to tell them that someone was stuck there.” 

“No way!” Bucky laughed. 

“Yeah,” Steve chuckled. “They found him asleep naked on the floor of the bathroom.” 

“That’s my boy,” Bucky cheered. He pressed a wet kiss to Steve’s cheek. Steve laughed and Bucky hugged him close. “That’s my good baby boy. I’m proud of you for standing up for yourself.” 

It explained a lot about Steve’s hesitancy regarding their relationship, in retrospect. Steve had been nervous and uncertain about the sincerity of Bucky’s interest in him. Bucky could hardly blame him. No one deserved someone like that. 

“I just wish I’d left sooner,” Steve said. “I should’ve recognized it sooner. He called me ugly and stupid and put me down all the time. He didn’t like me hanging out with my friends or anything and I went along with it because…”

He didn’t finish his sentence. “Because what, baby?” Bucky asked. 

Steve swallowed. “I was lonely,” he said. “He seemed interested and it was… novel, really. Never happened before and I thought it was the real deal.” 

“We’ve all been there,” Bucky murmured, kissing Steve’s head. He drew Steve between his legs and hugged him from behind. “We’ve all had asshole exes who used and abused our trust. You’re not alone, baby.” 

Steve cried. Bucky hugged him tightly to his chest as Steve sobbed in his arms. His heart broke for him. 

“I’ve got you,” he whispered as he rocked Steve back and forth. In his head, he was already certain that he’d never let him go.

* * *

Steve woke up the next day in Bucky’s bed. A week ago he might’ve panicked at the thought of sleeping with Bucky, but he was fully dressed in warm pajamas with his head resting on Bucky’s chest. It was still dark out, from what Steve could tell, which wasn’t unusual for him. He’d gone to bed at 8 and Bucky had joined him.   
The fact that Bucky changed his entire schedule around to make sure Steve was okay made him feel warm and gooey. It was new and exciting. No one had ever made Steve feel like this before, whatever it was. He hadn’t said anything, but He hadn’t wanted to go to sleep alone and Bucky had somehow known that. 

He still felt somewhat ridiculous for being as needy and tactile as he had been. He still felt it, though now his bladder was starting to compete with him. To make matters worse, Bucky’s metal arm was slung over Steve’s shoulders, pulling him close and tucking him against his side. It felt nice. The weight of the limb felt grounding. 

Eventually, the need to go to the bathroom outweighed the desire to cuddle and Steve carefully extracted himself to dash to the bathroom. He turned the lights on and took a moment to marvel at the sheer size of the bathroom. Steve was pretty sure he’d slept in smaller rooms than this. 

He took care of his business and washed his hands before he returned the bed. He tucked himself back in against Bucky’s body. As he did, Bucky stirred.

“Steve?” he asked sleepily without opening his eyes. 

“I’m fine,” he said. “Just went to the bathroom.” 

“How are you feelin’?” Bucky asked. He blinked as he opened his eyes. 

“I’m okay,” Steve replied. “Not quite back to my old self, but better than yesterday.” 

“That’s good, baby,” Bucky said. “Come back to bed. I’ll make you breakfast when I wake up.” 

“You don’t gotta do that every time I’m here,” Steve replied. 

“Shuddup, brat,” Bucky said. “Lemme take care of you.” 

“Well… in that case, I want hash browns and scrambled eggs,” Steve replied. 

“Good boy. You got it,” Bucky replied. “Now go back to sleep, baby.” 

Steve smiled widely. Even though he’d heard those words a hundred times by now, it felt different today. Being Bucky’s good boy felt better today for some reason. He curled against Bucky’s side and Bucky rolled over to hug him. His natural scent surrounded Steve’s body. It was smooth and earthy and musky, like freshly tilled earth. It was a nice, soothing scent.

* * *

Steve was slowly becoming used to the quiet, easy domesticity that settled between them whenever he was at Bucky’s house. It was almost strange. There was no pressure to be anything more. It was the most relaxing space that Steve had ever been in. 

Steve was sort of at a loss for what to do today, though. He didn’t feel like going out, but he didn’t feel like hanging around doing nothing like they’d done yesterday. That had been all he’d had the energy for, but today he actually wanted to do things with Bucky. 

Shortly after they were done with breakfast, the doorbell rang. Steve groaned. Bucky chuckled and kissed his forehead. Steve blushed the same way he always did when Bucky did that. He watched as Bucky went to the door and opened it. He signed something and brought a package into the kitchen. 

“What’d you get?” Steve asked. 

“It’s a present for you,” Bucky replied. “For being a good boy lately.” Steve’s face blossomed into a big smile as a fluttery, happy feeling swooped in his stomach. 

“Really?” Steve asked. “Can I open it?” 

“Of course, baby doll,” Bucky said as he handed him the package. Steve opened the package and gasped as he found a set of coloring books and a box of 24 Crayola crayons. It was like a blast back to his childhood. He used to go through these so much when he was in the hospital and it was the only way he had of passing the time. 

“Daddy…” he breathed. “When did you order these?” 

“When I woke up,” Bucky replied. “You said you wanted to draw but not think too much about what you were drawing. Figured this could be good for you.” 

Steve’s eyes teared up. “Thank you,” he said. “I love it.” 

Bucky bent down to kiss him. Steve kissed him back, reaching up to take Bucky’s face in his hands. He hummed into the kiss and Bucky moaned against him. It was sweet and shallow and lazy and it made Steve’s toes curl. He smiled against Bucky’s lips. Eventually, Bucky gave him one last kiss and pulled back. 

“You wanna watch something while you color?” Bucky asked. Steve smiled. It seemed like a great idea. They could be together and he could do his own thing and watch something at the same time. 

“Yeah, that sounds great,” Steve replied. Bucky kissed him again. 

“Why don’t you go pick something while I clean up, baby?” Bucky asked. 

Steve nodded and got up. He got the remote and went to Bucky’s Amazon account. He felt in the mood for Disney for some reason, so he searched through the movies until he got to the old princess movies. He finally settled on _Aladdin_ when Bucky walked into the room. 

“Disney, huh?” Bucky asked as he sat down. “Haven’t watched this in years.” 

“Yeah, I don’t know,” Steve said as he settled in. He put the crayons next to him and pulled one of the coloring books into his lap. It was superhero themed, with characters like Batman and Superman and Wonder Woman on the front. He smiled at it. “I just… I guess I’m in a mood or something.” 

Bucky didn’t say anything, but he smiled knowingly. Maybe this was something he’d seen before in kink circles. Maybe one of his previous subs had done something similar. Steve didn’t think about it too much. The movie began and he started coloring. 

It was almost amazing how cathartic drawing in a coloring book was. He hadn’t done it in years, even though he’d seen the adult mandala coloring books they sold in stores these days. There was a part of him that missed the simplicity of it, being able to draw without thinking too much about the image. He frequently drew over the lines and it didn’t matter one wit that he’d done so. 

He looked up at the screen when his hand needed a break. Even after all these years, the art in Aladdin held up. It was Disney, so that made sense, but still. Steve idly wondered if anything he drew would be as good after 20 years. 

By the end of the movie, Steve had finished nearly half a dozen pages of the coloring book. He’d set it aside to watch Aladdin enter the cave, to see his date with Jasmine as Prince Ali (Bucky had chuckled at the song and Steve had kicked him), and to watch him come back from the snowy wasteland and beat Jafar. When the credits started rolling, Bucky paused the movie. 

“You wanna watch another one?” he asked. 

“Yeah,” Steve replied. “Disney is great.”

“All right, which one?” 

Steve thought about it for a minute. What was a really good follow-up to Aladdin? Probably something from the same era. 90s era Disney was the best, in his opinion. It came with stuff like _Lion King_ and _Beauty and the Beast_ and _Mulan_. 

“What’s your favorite?” he asked. 

“My favorite movie?” Bucky asked. He rubbed the back of his head. “That’s a tough one.”

“No, your favorite Disney movie!” Steve replied. Bucky chuckled and grinned at him and Steve realized that he was pulling his leg. He hit Bucky with his coloring book. “Jerk!” 

Bucky just laughed, so Steve hit him again. This time, Bucky caught his wrist and pulled Steve close. Steve tried to get out, but Bucky’s metal hand was unyielding. Bucky grinned mischievously as he regarded Steve. 

“That’s not a very nice way to treat your Daddy, baby,” he said. His voice was soft and hard, like silk sliding over knives. Steve stuck his tongue out at him and Bucky flicked his earlobe. “Come on, baby. Daddy’s been nice to you. What do you say?” 

Steve tried to get out of his grip, but Bucky held his wrist securely. Instead, he tried something new. He crawled into Bucky’s lap and straddled him, putting his free hand on Bucky’s shoulder. Bucky relaxed his grip ever so slightly and Steve leaned in to kiss him. Bucky let him and as he returned the kiss, he let go of Steve’s wrist completely. Steve leaned in until his lips were just hovering over Bucky’s ear. 

“No,” he whispered. He jumped off Bucky’s lap and ran away. 

“Get back here, you punk!” Bucky shouted after him. Steve just laughed as he raced through the kitchen. He heard Bucky running after him, but he didn’t dare look behind him. Bucky was in a lot better shape than him, anyway. 

He ducked into a random door that he hadn’t seen inside of yet. It was a dead end. It was an office of some sort and Steve froze in the space. This was a mistake. He turned around in time to see Bucky close the door. He hadn’t even broken a sweat, the bastard. Steve was breathing a bit heavily, but that was mostly because he didn’t run, like, ever. He backed up against the wall as Bucky stalked over to him. 

“Hey, baby boy,” Bucky said, crowding Steve in against the wall. “What was that you said?” 

Steve swallowed. “I’m sorry, Daddy,” he said. 

“Nope, that’s not what you said,” Bucky replied with a grin. “You said something different.” 

“Said ‘no’,” Steve replied. “So?” 

“And what else?” Bucky asked. 

“Said you was a jerk,” Steve replied. Then he grinned. “Cause yous a jerk.” 

“That’s right, you did,” Bucky said. Then he smiled and stroked his cheek. “You seem to be feeling a bit better. What do you think?” 

“Yeah, I’m definitely feeling better,” Steve said. “But… I don’t know, I feel like a different kind of different. I dunno how to say it.” 

“I have an idea of what it is, but we can talk about it later if you want,” Bucky said. “What do you want?” 

“Later,” Steve said. “Just in the mood for watching stuff, really.” 

“Sounds good, baby,” Bucky said. He reached down and threaded their fingers together. “My favorite Disney movie is _Lion King_.” 

Steve smiled up at him and followed him back to the living room. It was nice. Life was simple. Whatever was different about him, it made life easier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos give me life, y'all! <3


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lemons. Lemons galore.

Steve woke the next morning actually feeling energetic. He also didn’t feel like he had been feeling the past couple days. It was definitely not his normal personality. It hadn’t been bad, it was just different. It felt more like he was… a child, but not a child at the same time. 

He didn’t understand it. Part of him didn’t really need to, but it was different from what he normally experienced. Bucky had said that he had some suspicions, so he was curious as to what that would entail. Steve thought that he would be okay with it, whatever it was. Bucky would take care of him like he always had. 

He rolled over to look at Bucky’s sleeping face. He was honestly beautiful. How Steve had ever managed to find Bucky was completely ridiculous. It was the sort of stroke of luck that people talked about in the same breath as fairy tales. His jawline made for an amazing profile. Now that he’d gotten that strange inability to actually make art out of his system, he wanted to do nothing but draw Bucky. 

Bucky stirred in his sleep and cracked one eye open. He looked up at Steve and grinned before he closed it again. 

“See somethin’ you like, baby,” Bucky murmured. 

“I did, before I smelled your morning breath,” Steve chuckled. “You lost 5 points for that.” 

“Rude,” Bucky replied, opening his eyes again. “It’s not too early to bend you over my knee, you know.” 

Steve hummed. “Is that a promise, Daddy?” Steve murmured. 

“Depends,” Bucky replied. “What am I at now on the scale of 1 to 10?” 

“4,” Steve said. 

“So I was a 9, huh?” Bucky said smugly. 

“You were,” Steve said. “You need to brush your teeth.” 

Bucky’s reply to that was just to open his mouth widely and breathe into Steve’s face. Steve gagged and coughed as he collapsed back onto the bed. 

“I’m done,” he gagged. “I’m dying. I’m breaking up with you!” 

“Oh, don’t be so dramatic,” Bucky groaned as he rolled over. “Get up. We have some stuff to talk about over breakfast.” 

“Will that be before or after you do something about your breath?” Steve asked. Even without being able to see Bucky’s face, he could tell that Bucky rolled his eyes. Steve chuckled to himself as he got up. He followed Bucky down the stairs to the kitchen.

“So is there anything I can help with?” Steve asked. Instead of denying him like he expected, Bucky fished an onion out of a basket and handed it to him. 

“You can chop vegetables,” Bucky said. He went to the fridge and got a tomato, green peppers, and mushrooms and handed each of them to Steve. “I’m making omelets. Do you want anything else in yours?” 

“Do you have sausage?” Steve asked as he got a knife out and started to peel the onion. Bucky checked the freezer and pulled out packet of breakfast sausages. “Fuck yes.” 

Bucky chuckled as he took half the basket and another knife and began to chop the vegetables. They worked in efficient, companionable silence. Steve managed to get the onion chopped before his eyes started watering too much. Bucky scrambled four eggs in two bowls. He made Steve’s omelet first and Steve was impressed/slightly turned on by how easily Bucky cooked the food. 

“So,” Steve said when they sat down at the table to eat. “What was it that we needed to talk about?” 

“Do you remember how you were like the past couple days?” Bucky asked.

“Sort of,” Steve said. “I didn’t really understand it, though, so I couldn’t really put what it was like into words. I know that I was a real asshole before you showed up, though.” 

“Yes, well, you can hardly be blamed for that,” Bucky replied. “We can talk about sub drop a little later. You seem to be feeling a lot better, to be honest.” 

“I feel a lot better,” Steve agreed. “Like, I feel more like… myself if that makes sense. I didn’t feel bad so much yesterday, but I didn’t really feel like was really… me.”

“There might be a reason,” Bucky replied. “Sub drop would account for some of it, but some of what you were doing was more like a child than someone experiencing intense, temporary depression.” 

“A child?” Steve asked. “What do you mean?” 

“Have you ever heard of littles or age play?” Bucky asked. Steve nodded. 

“They roleplay as kids, right?” Steve asked. “Like how some people roleplay as pets.” 

“Sort of,” Bucky replied. “Many subs who roleplay as pets enter what they call ‘pet space’. It’s a head space specific to those subs and it makes them get really into the role of a pet.”

“That’s not what happened to me, though,” Steve said. “I didn’t think of myself as an animal.” 

“No, that’s true,” Bucky agreed. “I think what you entered was something similar called ‘little space’.”

“So it’s the head space of a little?” Steve asked. “What does that mean?” 

“Well, let’s think about it,” Bucky replied. “You were playful, more so than you normally are, you colored enough to finish one entire coloring book, half of another, and wear down half the crayons in that box. You didn’t want to watch anything but Disney movies all day yesterday, you refused to be anywhere but on my lap for much of the first day, you wanted a bubble bath both the first day and last night before we went to bed.” 

“Okay, yes, that’s all true,” Steve said. 

“I think that you may have inadvertently entered little space as a way of dealing with the stress of the sub drop,” Bucky said. 

“So, what? I become a child sometimes?” Steve asked. “It’s never happened before.” 

“Have you ever called your boyfriend ‘Daddy’ before?” Bucky countered. Steve shook his head. “Daddy kink and age play aren’t that far removed from each other.” 

“I’m just not sure what to think of this,” Steve replied. “I’ve literally never thought about it, but… a lot of what you say makes sense. Why do people become littles?” 

“Well, I’ve never been one, personally,” Bucky replied. “I’ve always been a Dom and subbing has never really felt right for me, but I imagine that it’s similar why a lot of people are into kink in general. It gives them a way to cope with the burdens and stressors of everyday life. For me it’s being a Dom and a caretaker. For you, it might mean submitting and being taken care of.” 

“It would kinda make sense,” Steve said. “I was sick a lot when I was a kid. Didn’t get to really be a kid much of the time. And after my dad died…”

“It’s okay,” Bucky said. “You can talk about it or not. It’s up to you.” 

Steve nodded. “When he died, my ma didn’t know what to do,” he said. “My relatives all said that I had to be good for her, not make her life difficult and I did that. I even tried to drop out of school when I was old enough to help her. She wouldn’t let me.” 

“It wasn’t your job,” Bucky said. “But I’m not surprised. You like taking care of people.” 

“Yeah,” Steve replied. “I don’t know what that says about me.” 

“It means that you’re a good person,” Bucky replied. “And it means that you need someone else to take care of you.” 

“Maybe,” Steve said. “That still doesn’t explain why I would become childlike.” 

“Was it bad?” Bucky asked. 

“No,” Steve replied. 

“How did you feel when you were like that?” Bucky asked. “Aside from going through some residual sub drop.” 

Steve hummed thoughtfully. “I felt like… I was safe,” Steve said. “It felt good and comfortable and I loved it when you were touching me and telling me that I was good, but different from normal.”

“How so?” Bucky asked. 

“Normally it feels like an ego boost,” Steve said. “It feels good because I like to be told that. But yesterday it felt more like… it made me feel really happy. And when you took care of me if felt… I don’t know, but it was good. Like, not just that I was your boyfriend, but that I was being cared for.” 

“Sounds like you really got something from it, then. We can explore it if you want,” Bucky said. “Maybe it would help if you tried to do it on purpose around a specific time frame.” 

“Maybe it would. When would that happen?” Steve asked. 

“We can do it this weekend or it could happen some other time,” Bucky replied. “Whenever you’re ready.” 

Steve thought about it. This wasn’t something he was really all that familiar with, to be honest. Age play was different from what they normally did, wasn’t it? What would he even do?

“What would happen?” Steve asked. Bucky shrugged. 

“I could get you more coloring books, if you like,” he said. “Some littles really like stuffed animals or cartoons or kids music or being read to. Some might like playing board games or even wearing diapers.” 

“Diapers are a hard no,” Steve said. 

“Got it,” Bucky said with a nod. “Really, baby, it’s up to you. I’m just here to take care of you while you play.” 

Somehow calling it playing helped a little bit. It was supposed to be fun, after all. Everything they did was supposed to be because they enjoyed it. If Steve enjoyed Disney movies and coloring books, what was the problem in that?

“I kinda wanna do it again this weekend if that’s okay,” Steve said. “Just so I don’t have time to talk myself out of it.” 

“Dive right in, huh?” Bucky asked. “All right. Is there anything you want me to get?” 

“Candyland,” Steve said immediately. “I used to love that game.”

Bucky smiled. “You got it, baby,” he said. “Anything else?” 

“More coloring books and crayons, obviously,” Steve said. “And I wanna watch Pokémon.” 

“We can watch Pokémon,” Bucky replied. “So how about this as a plan? Tomorrow at noon, we’ll try this out and we’ll stop around 4 and see how you feel about it. Does that sound good?” 

Steve nodded. Then he blushed and smiled. “Thanks,” he said. “You… you don’t have to do this.” 

Bucky scooted his chair over and kissed Steve’s forehead. Steve leaned into the touch and smiled. It felt nice and warm and soft and it filled Steve with a pleasant feeling. He hummed and Bucky moved to kiss his lips. He hummed against Bucky’s lips as Bucky cradled his face in his hands. The contrast of the warm flesh and the cool metal and the gentle strength that were imbedded in them felt so uniquely Bucky. Steve loved it. 

“Baby, I wanna take care of you,” he murmured against Steve’s lips. “I wanna make you happy and give you what you need. Trust me. I’m never gonna do anything to you that I don’t wanna do.” 

Steve nodded. “Thank you, Daddy,” he said. “For now, though, can we just keep kissing?”

Bucky smiled and leaned in again. “Absolutely.”

* * *

Steve woke up the next morning feeling a bit nervous. It was really bizarre because if you really looked at it, all they were doing was playing board games, watching cartoons, and coloring. All of which were things that couples did with each other. It also wasn’t like they were doing anything really intense. 

Still, Steve lay awake for a couple hours after he woke trying to think of how he was supposed to enter what Bucky called “little space” on purpose. He hadn’t even been aware that that was what he was doing the first time. It was apparently an automatic response to a very significant emotional stressor, but he couldn’t figure out how to get back there. 

It was annoying. It was stressful. Worst of all, it was a mental stress, so even if he did somehow manage to stress himself out to the point he’d been on Wednesday, he probably wouldn’t actually end up in little space as a result. 

He sighed. Bucky stirred next to him in the bed. He rolled over and laid his head on Bucky’s shoulder. He made sure to sleep on Bucky’s right side. As much as he admired the metal limb, it wasn’t a good pillow and Steve liked being the small spoon for once. Bucky reached up with his flesh hand and began massaging Steve’s scalp. He heard Bucky say something, but he only picked up a bit of it. He rolled over to put his hearing aids and contacts in.

“What was that?” Steve asked.

“Somethin’ wrong, baby?” he asked sleepily. “That was a big sigh.” 

“It’s nothing,” Steve replied automatically. Bucky shifted them so that Steve’s head was lying on his arm so that he could look at Steve’s face. He raised an eyebrow. 

“You sure?” Bucky asked. “We can talk about it, you know.” 

Steve sighed. “Have I ever mentioned how annoying it is that you can see through me when I’m lying?” he demanded half-heartedly. 

“Well, you’re not that good at lying,” Bucky said with a fond smile. “You’ve got this earnest, kind face and it shows everything you’re thinkin’. Also, I’ve been a Dom for more than 10 years. I’ve gotten good at being able to tell when my sub is upset.” 

Steve made a mental note to ask him about his past relationships sometime. He was genuinely curious, but not from a jealous point of view. He just wanted to know more about Bucky. For now, though, he focused on his quandary. 

“I’ve been trying to figure out how to get into little space,” he said. “It just sorta happened before. I’m not sure how to make it work.” 

Bucky shrugged. “Don’t force it,” he replied. “If you try and make it happen, it’ll just be harder for you.” 

“Yeah, that’s the thing,” Steve replied. “I don’t know how to do that. Just… letting go and letting things happen. I’m too in control of myself, I guess.” 

Bucky rolled over and kissed him softly. Steve didn’t care about the morning breath this time and he returned the kiss. Bucky rolled over on top of him and Steve moaned at the weight of him. Bucky nipped at Steve’s lower lip and Bucky thrust his tongue into Steve’s mouth. Steve yielded and arched up, grinding his body against Bucky’s. He could feel his erection straining in his pajamas against Bucky’s. 

It had been almost a week since they had sex and honestly, this was the first day in which Steve could think about it again. Bucky’s body pressing him against the mattress was making his brain short circuit. He’d spent the past few nights just because he didn’t want to wake up alone and… now he just slept with him. Nothing had happened, but now Steve had Bucky on top of him and it was hard to think about anything else. 

“Whose are you?” Bucky asked, his voice dark and soft like molten chocolate dripping onto Steve’s skin. Bucky’s left hand squeezed possessively around one of Steve’s thighs. 

“Yours,” Steve breathed. 

“What are you?” Bucky replied. He began sucking at the spot beneath Steve’s ear that drove Steve up a wall with pleasure. Steve gasped for a moment as he collected his thought. 

“I’m… I’m your baby boy,” Steve said. 

“And what am I?” Bucky asked. 

“Daddy, you’re Daddy,” Steve replied. Bucky hummed in approval and sucked hard on Steve’s skin. 

“That’s right, baby boy,” he said. “We’ll figure it out.” 

With that, Bucky rolled over and got up off the bed. He started walking towards the bathroom. Steve lay there bewildered for a moment before he rolled over. 

“Hey,” he said. Bucky turned around. “You’re just gonna leave me like this?” 

Bucky grinned wickedly. “Like what, baby?” 

“Horny,” Steve deadpanned. He gestured towards his erection. “Can’t take care of it myself.” 

“Oh, right, I forgot about that,” Bucky lied like a dirty liar. He stalked back over towards Steve until he was standing over him. “Can’t touch yourself without my permission, can you?” 

Steve shook his head. 

“You wanna come?” Bucky asked. “You been good. Haven’t touched yourself at all these past few days. You want me to touch you?” 

“Yes,” Steve replied. Bucky raised an eyebrow. 

“Yes, what?” he asked. Steve rolled his eyes and Bucky reached down and pinched one of Steve’s nipples hard with his left hand. Steve cried out at the sudden pain. “Yes. What?” he asked again. 

“Yes, Daddy!” Steve cried. 

“What do good boys say when they want something?” Bucky asked. His grip tightened around Steve’s nipple. 

“Please, please touch me, Daddy!” Steve replied, gasping with pain. Bucky relented and Steve gasped with relief. His dick was harder than ever, leaking against the fabric of his pajamas. 

“There, that wasn’t so hard, now, was it?” Bucky asked with that same wicked grin. He reached down and pulled Steve’s pants down, exposing his cock to the cool air of Bucky’s home. He reached down with his flesh hand and wrapped it lightly around Steve’s length. It wasn’t nearly enough to satisfy Steve, but it was better than nothing, so he moaned. 

“I gotta question,” Bucky said. “Want you to think about it. Can I suck your pretty cock, baby?” 

Steve’s brain stopped working. He wanted very much to feel Bucky’s mouth around his length. He moaned as he nodded. 

“Need verbal confirmation, baby boy,” Bucky said. “Gimme a number.” 

“11,” Steve said. “Please, please suck me off, Daddy.” 

Bucky’s grin grew. “Good boy,” he purred. 

He knelt on the bed and inserted himself between Steve’s legs. Steve shivered as he felt Bucky’s hot breath on his hard cock.

“You know,” Bucky said. “I actually forgot that you’re not circumcised, either. All my past partners were.” 

“Irish Catholic,” Steve replied. “You?” 

“Same, actually, on my dad’s side,” Bucky replied. “Ma’s a Baptist, but she didn’t care all that much, apparently.” 

“Can we stop talking about your folks while you’re between my legs?” Steve asked. “New rule, actually: Never do that.” 

“Got it. Sorry,” Bucky replied. Steve sighed in relief as he felt Bucky’s lips kiss the head of his cock. His lips moved down the length slowly, sensuously. Steve tensed in anticipation. It was all he could think about, Bucky being between his legs with his mouth on Steve’s member. 

“So pretty for me, baby boy,” Bucky murmured. Then, without any warning, he licked up the underside of Steve’s cock. Steve arched his back and moaned loudly. “There you go, baby. Wanna hear you moan like the slut you is.” 

“Fuck, Daddy,” Steve moaned again. Bucky just continued licking and kissing along the length of Steve’s cock. “Please, Daddy, stop teasing.” 

“But I like it when you beg for me,” Bucky murmured as he kissed and licked beneath the head of Steve’s cock. He toyed with the foreskin with his tongue and Steve was pretty sure he might come right then and there. “Like it when you’re a slut for Daddy.” 

“Fuck,” Steve gasped. 

“Come on, baby,” Bucky said. “Gotta work for Daddy’s mouth on your cock. Show me how good a slut you can be.” 

“P-please, Daddy!” Steve cried. “Want it, want your mouth! Wanna feel it on my cock, please!” 

“Aww, come on, you can do better than that, slut,” Bucky replied. 

He moved up Steve’s body to whisper into his ear. His face looked hungry and powerful and utterly in control. His hands roamed over Steve’s body possessively. Steve’s hands clutched the sheets beneath him with the monumental effort to not touch himself. He wanted to. He wanted to come. But he didn’t. Bucky nipped at Steve’s earlobe as he leaned in. 

“Tell me how much you want it,” Bucky whispered. “Tell me how you need it, that you need your Daddy to suck your pretty cock ‘til you come like a whore.” 

Steve gasped. “Can’t—Can’t think,” he said. “Just need it. Please, please, Daddy, need you to suck my cock. Please, can’t think o’ nothin’ else.” 

“Good boy,” Bucky purred. He kissed and sucked lightly as he moved back down Steve’s body. “That’s my good baby boy. Daddy will give you what you need. Just sit there like the pretty, slutty little boy you are.”

Steve moaned as Bucky left a trail of kisses down his body. As soon as he reached Steve’s cock, he wrapped his lips around it. Steve gasped and moaned as Bucky’s tongue swirled around the head. Sparks of pleasure shot down his length through his body and his mind forgot everything but the heat of Bucky’s mouth on his member. 

Slowly, Bucky’s mouth sunk down on Steve’s cock. His hot mouth engulfed Steve’s member and the only thing Steve could think about, besides the fact that Bucky was sucking his cock, was how he had gone without this for so long. His hands fisted in the sheets beneath him as he kept himself from thrusting into Bucky’s mouth. Bucky’s tongue continued its relentless teasing, caressing around the girth of Steve’s cock and it did things to him. 

“Fuck,” Steve whimpered. Then, then, Bucky hummed deep in his throat around Steve’s cock. Steve gave a loud cry. He actually did thrust up into Bucky’s mouth then and Bucky came off with a chuckle. He wrapped a hand around Steve’s cock as he grinned down at Steve. 

“Enjoying yourself, baby?” he asked. Steve nodded dumbly and Bucky chuckled again. “You’ve been good the past couple days. You’ve earned yourself a treat. I think you should just come whenever you feel like it, baby boy.”

“Thank you, Daddy,” Steve breathed. 

With that, Bucky descended back on Steve’s cock. He swallowed down to the root and Steve moaned as the head of his cock hit the back of Bucky’s throat. Bucky moaned and assumed a steady rhythm. He sucked Steve’s cock with gusto. Bucky rolled Steve’s balls in his right hand while his metal hand stroked over Steve’s body, sliding against his blushing, heated skin. Steve felt the cool fingers leave trails of pleasure like shooting stars on his skin. Steve arched up off the bed again. 

His mind was a blank slate of overwhelming pleasure. The thoughts and anxiety that had plagued his mind since he woke up fled his mind. Eventually, Bucky’s hand reached Steve’s lips and Steve took the middle digit in his mouth. He sucked it like he was sucking cock, moaning around the cool metal. 

He had to move. One of his hands rose to grab Bucky’s metal wrist to keep it in place. His other hand moved down to tangle his fingers through Bucky’s messy bed hair. He tugged slightly and Bucky moaned again around his length. He could feel his climax building in the pit of his stomach. Steve popped off Bucky’s finger with a gasp. 

“Daddy, Daddy, I’m close,” Steve moaned. 

Bucky just moaned and quickened his pace, sucking harder around Steve’s cock. The pressure was amazing and Steve was pretty sure he saw stars. Bucky thrust his index and middle fingers into Steve’s mouth again. Steve moaned around them and sucked on them again. 

Steve let his head fall back as his orgasm got close. He let Bucky’s fingers fall out of his mouth and he groaned and gasped as he came, his come shooting into Bucky’s hot mouth. Bucky moaned as he swallowed Steve’s load easily. He sucked Steve’s cock until Steve had nothing left. Steve collapsed against the bed beneath him gasping for breath. His entire body felt loose and relaxed.

Bucky rose and grinned down at Steve. A drop of come dripped from the corner of his mouth and he retrieved it with a tongue. Steve just stared up at him, trying to find his breath. His brain was a little fuzzy from his orgasm, too. 

“Ya taste good, baby boy,” Bucky rasped. 

He knelt over Steve’s body and Steve realized with a start that Bucky was completely naked. He hadn’t even noticed him take his pajama pants off. His long, thick cock drooped heavily between his legs onto Steve’s stomach. Bucky straddled him and took his cock in his hand. 

“So pretty like this,” he moaned as he gazed down at Steve. His eyes were full of hunger and lust. “Should spend more time on top of you like this. It’s a nice view of you, baby boy.” 

“Fuck,” Steve breathed. 

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” Bucky asked. His hand was flying over his cock. “Pinned to the bed beneath your Daddy while I use you like I feels like.” 

“Yes, Daddy,” Steve moaned. “Please, Daddy. Want it, want it bad.” He raised his hands and ran them down the muscled plains of Bucky’s body, down to his thick thighs. He ran his fingers through Bucky’s hair, on his chest, his stomach, his legs. Bucky growled. 

“Fuck, such a good little boy,” Bucky groaned. “God, baby boy, _fuck_!” 

Bucky grunted as he came. His come shot out onto Steve’s chest in hot, thick ropes before his come dripped out onto his knuckles. He didn’t even get to press them to Steve’s lips. Steve grabbed Bucky’s hand and brought his mouth to the digits and licked them clean. 

“Fuck,” Bucky breathed. “You like Daddy’s come, don’t you, baby boy? Bit of a come slut, ain’t you?” 

“Yes, Daddy,” Steve said with a nod. Bucky wiped his metal fingers through the come on Steve’s chest and thrust his fingers into Steve’s mouth. Steve moaned and licked them clean as well, sucking on the digits like they were candy. 

“You like suckin’ on Daddy’s fingers, too, don’t ya?” Bucky replied.

“Better than lollipops, Daddy,” Steve moaned. Bucky hummed as he brought more of his seed to Steve’s mouth. 

“Should give you the real thing sometime soon,” he mused. “Bet you would treat Daddy’s cock real well.” 

Steve moaned around Bucky’s fingers. When he was done, Bucky climbed off him and laid down next to him on the bed and propped himself up on an elbow. He leaned down and kissed him. Steve hummed into the kiss. It was long and lazy and soft and at the end, Steve sighed happily. 

“How do you feel?” Bucky asked. 

“Feel nice,” Steve replied. “Fuck, think I needed that.” 

“I know, baby,” Bucky replied. A thought occurred to Steve. 

“Did you not come at all last week?” Steve asked. “Like, seems like you were a bit pent up.” 

Bucky smiled down at him. “Pretty smart of you,” he said. “No, I didn’t.” 

“Why not?” Steve asked. “I mean, didn’t you want to?” 

“Well, at the time, I was saving myself up for the weekend,” Bucky replied. “And when you dropped, I had other things to worry about.” 

“Could’ve asked me,” Steve said. 

“Baby, you weren’t in your right mind,” Bucky said. “Having sex with someone when they’re dropping is a big no-no, cause it takes advantage of their vulnerability. It can fuck with a person’s head even more than they’re feeling at the moment.” 

“Oh. I didn’t know that,” Steve said. 

“Well, now you know,” Bucky said lightly. He leaned down and kissed Steve again. “Come on, let’s take a bath.” 

He rolled off the bed and strode towards the bathroom. Steve watched his naked ass move as Bucky walked. 

“A _bath_ , bath, or a bubble bath?” Steve asked. 

“Well, which do you want?” Bucky asked. “Got some new scents in the package I got yesterday. You wanna see?” 

Curiosity and a bit of excitement drove Steve to finally get out of bed to see what Bucky had gotten him. Bucky held the one that they’d used a couple days ago, another one that was eucalyptus scented, and two that were clearly children’s bubble bath products, judging by the bright colors and the cartoony pictures on the front. One was watermelon scented, while the other smelled like blueberries. 

“You got these for me?” Steve asked, looking up at Bucky in amazement. 

“Of course, baby boy,” Bucky replied. He leaned down and kissed Steve’s forehead. “Only the best for my baby.” 

Steve felt his chest warm and he smiled broadly. He stood on his tiptoes to kiss Bucky on the cheek. 

“Thank you,” he said. “I want the watermelon.” 

“You got it,” Bucky replied.

* * *

Noon arrived and Steve didn’t feel nearly as nervous as he had when he woke up. His skin felt nice and smooth and he still smelled faintly of watermelon. Then, Bucky had dressed him in soft clothes. His sweatpants were some of the softest fabric that he’d ever felt and his shirt was bright blue with a red cartoon train on it. Steve had no idea where Bucky got it, but he loved it. 

Bucky also gave him his new coloring books and a fresh set of crayons. One of them was a Pokémon book and Steve had actually run off to the living room to start coloring it. Bucky even found the original Pokémon show on Netflix and started playing it while he colored. 

It was relaxing and peaceful. Steve lost himself a bit for the first hour or so. There was a page with a whole lot of starter Pokémon and Steve didn’t even worry about not having the exact right colors for them or about his technique or about staying inside the lines or anything. 

“Hey, baby,” Bucky said. Steve looked up and smiled widely at him. 

“Daddy!” he said. He held up the page he was working on. “Look, look!”

“That’s very good, baby!” Bucky said enthusiastically. He bent down and kissed his forehead. “Daddy’s very proud of you, baby.” 

Steve giggled. He giggled. He never giggled. Sam claimed that he did when he was tickled, but Sam was a dirty liar. But something about being praised for coloring in his coloring book seemed like a big deal. 

“You hungry, baby?” Bucky asked. “I made lunch.” 

“What’s lunch?” Steve asked. 

“I made you chicken nuggets and mac and cheese,” Bucky said with a smile. “I made green beans, too. Gotta eat your veggies.” 

Steve frowned. “Really? Do I have to?” 

“Yes, baby,” Bucky said. “I’ll give you a treat, though, if you eat them.”

“What is it?” Steve asked. 

“If you eat your veggies, you’ll find out,” Bucky replied. 

He took Steve’s hand and laced their fingers together. Steve followed him to the kitchen table and sat down. Bucky gave him a brightly colored plate in the shape of a frog and piled dinosaur chicken nuggets and mac and cheese. Steve grinned and bit the head off head. Bucky smiled down at him and ruffled his head. 

“Daddy, I ate the head!” Steve said with glee. Bucky just chuckled. 

“You did, baby. You want some ketchup for the blood?” 

“Yeah!” 

Bucky squirted some ketchup from a bottle onto Steve’s plate. His own plate was more typical and there was hot sauce on his mac and cheese like a barbarian. Steve dipped his decapitated dinosaur in the ketchup and roared before he ate it. 

“Don’t play with your food, baby,” Bucky said with a chuckle. Steve ignored him as he took another chicken nugget and repeated the process. Bucky just rolled his eyes. 

Steve ate all the nuggets and all the mac and cheese (which was delicious and gooey) before he got to the green beans that were left on his plate. He glared at them. It wasn’t necessarily that he was being childish, it was that he really did hate green beans. Never got around to liking them no matter how they were made. However, since he was feeling little, all he was really thinking about was that he didn’t like them. 

“Come on, baby boy,” Bucky said. “You gotta eat your veggies.” 

“I don’t wike it,” Steve said. 

“They’re just green beans,” Bucky replied. “They’re good for you.” 

“I don’t wike it!” Steve protested. 

“Steve,” Bucky warned. Steve pouted and groaned. “If you don’t eat your veggies, you can’t watch cartoons.” 

“What?! That’s not fair!” he cried. Bucky just shrugged indifferently. 

“All you gotta do is eat your green beans,” Bucky said. “That’s all, then you can go back to watching cartoons, okay?”

Steve groaned again, but picked up the fork and started shoveling green beans into his mouth. He didn’t so much eat them as inhale them. They were gross, but he forced himself to eat them. When he was done, he got up and ran out of the room to go back to his Pokémon show. Bucky showed up a moment later and sat down next to him. 

“What’s going on?” he asked. 

“Ash just caught a Caterpie,” Steve said. “It’s really cute and I want one.” 

“Sorry, baby boy, I don’t like bugs,” Bucky replied. Steve looked at him and grinned. 

“Daddy,” he said in a singsong voice. 

“No,” Bucky drawled. Steve just laughed and sat on his lap. 

“Daddy,” he said again. “You scared of bugs, Daddy?” 

“No,” Bucky replied. “I just don’t like them.” 

It was the least convincing thing Steve had ever heard from him and it made him giggle again. 

“Brat,” Bucky said. “Should spank you for laughing at me.” 

“Don’t worry, Daddy,” Steve said with a grin. “I’ll protect you. I’ll squish the bad bugs for you.” 

“My hero,” Bucky replied with a grin. “My brave little soldier.” 

Steve smiled and kissed him before he shifted around to continue watching the show. Caterpie was evolving now after beating Team Rocket. Bucky wrapped his arms around Steve’s body and rested his chin on Steve’s shoulder. It felt nice. They didn’t say anything, just sat and watched tv like they’d done before, but this time it felt… freer, simpler. 

Sometime during the episode when Ash was battling Brock, Bucky’s phone alarm went off. Bucky shifted beneath him and took his phone out to turn off the alarm. Steve groaned as he kept watching. 

“You wanna finish the episode?” Bucky asked. Steve nodded. “Okay, we’ll finish this one, then we’ll be done for today.” 

“Okay,” Steve replied. 

When the episode was over, Bucky shifted and let Steve sit down next to him on the couch. With a little bit of effort, he pulled himself out of the little headspace. Strangely enough, it was a little harder to get out of little space than it was to get into it. It helped to think of bills and his job. 

“How are you feeling?” Bucky asked. 

“Good,” Steve replied. “I feel… really good. I haven’t been able to relax like that in… ever.” 

“I’m glad,” Bucky said. “Do you want to do this more regularly?” 

“Maybe,” Steve said. “Honestly, I think it might just be helpful to do it when I’m really stressed or something. I kinda wanna try other things, you know?” 

“We can do that,” Bucky said. “Is there anything you didn’t like about this today?” 

“Green beans,” Steve said with a grimace. Bucky just laughed. “Shut up, jerk.” 

“You really don’t like green beans, do you?” Bucky asked. “Weirdo.” 

“Hey, I’m not weird, they’re gross!” Steve said. “Lots of people don’t like them.” 

“Sure, baby,” Bucky said. 

“Yeah, well, at least I’m not scared of bugs,” Steve said with a grin. Bucky flicked his forehead in retaliation. 

“Brat,” he muttered. “We’re supposed to be having a serious conversation here.” 

“Sorry, Daddy,” Steve said. 

“Okay, in the future, how would you feel about being sexual while you’re in little space?” Bucky asked. 

“People do that?” Steve asked. 

“Yeah, lots of people,” Bucky replied. “It’s pretty popular in the caregiver/little community. Not everyone does it, but it all depends on what you want.” 

Steve thought about it. It could be hot. It was submissive, in a different kind of way. Bucky would take care of him and Steve could be sexual without the subtle worry that he wouldn’t measure up to Bucky’s expectations. Bucky was also really good at making him feel good, at being in control. 

“Yes,” he said. “I think I’d really like it.” 

“Well, I’ll keep that in mind, then,” Bucky said. “Did you have any difficulty getting into or out of little space?” 

“The bubble bath helped me get into it,” Steve said. “I might need some help getting out of it, though.” 

“Can you think of anything that would help?” Bucky asked. 

“Coffee,” Steve said. “It might make me think of work and customers and money, bullshit like that.” 

“I can make you some,” Bucky said. “It won’t be as good as yours, but it’s coffee.” 

“Thanks, I’d like that,” Steve said. Bucky got up and went to the kitchen. 

“How do you take your coffee?” Bucky called. 

“Black,” Steve said. 

“That’s it?” Bucky said. “How?” 

“I don’t like dumping sugar and cream in my coffee,” Steve replied. “Dilutes the taste.” 

“You’re weird,” Bucky replied. 

“That’s me,” Steve said. Bucky came back to sit down while the coffee was being made. “Is there anything else we need to talk about?” 

“Not unless you have concerns about what just happened,” Bucky said. 

“There is something,” Steve replied. Bucky nodded. “I wanna go out tonight. Like on a date.” 

Bucky smiled. “Sure thing, baby,” he said. “Been cooped up here for a few days, it’d be good to get out. Got somewhere you wanna go in particular?” 

Steve smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos give me life, y'all! <3


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Date night followed by a little more Little!Steve.
> 
> Also, there will be no update on Saturday because I will be out of town. Regular updating will resume on Tuesday. Also, since we are now past the midway point of the semester and grad school is **A LOT HARDER** this year than it was last year, I might just start posting once a week from here on out. 
> 
> Anyway, enjoy! <3

There was one thing about going out today that Steve hadn’t expected: being cuffed to Bucky. Bucky put it on him as soon as they were dressed and ready to go. There was a simple rule to it: don’t take it off without asking to be released. It was simple black leather, the same cuffs that Bucky had used during Steve’s punishment a week ago.

He had about two inches fabric between them, so the fact that they were holding hands was as much out of convenience as it was out of affection. It was strange, at first. Steve had thought that they would get odd looks walking down the streets and taking public transportation while they were bound together like this. Of course, Steve should’ve guess that New York wouldn’t even blink. Bucky could be leading him around with a leash and collar and they would probably just get a few raised eyebrows. Even when they arrived at their destination, Coney Island, no one seemed to pay that much attention to them. 

Being a native of Brooklyn, Steve knew that there was nothing quite like Coney Island. He just usually didn’t have the money to go. He’d been a couple times, but it had been a few years and there was always the concern about being able to afford it afterwards. It took a lot of penny pinching, even when both his parents were alive. 

Steve was dressed simply: khaki shorts and a lightweight blue t-shirt. Bucky was dressed the most casually that Steve had ever seen him outside his house. He was wearing blue jeans and a grey V-neck. Bucky also had a bag containing swim trunks and beach supplies in case they wanted to just relax for a while. 

It was remarkably simple and subtle, but Steve felt bound to Bucky all the same. To make it even more poignant, he was right handed and Bucky was stronger than him. He needed Bucky’s silent permission to move his arm further than the two inches the cord allowed him. Of course, it wasn’t like it was glued to his arm. It was connected by Velcro. It would be pretty easy to remove, but he didn’t. 

“How are we supposed to ride anything like this?” Steve asked when they entered the park. 

“I’ll take it off for when we get on big rides or something,” Bucky replied. “When we get off, I’ll just put it back on.” 

Steve was already plotting ways to see if he could get away. He could play around with this, test the limits, see how far Bucky was willing to go. There were crowds, corners to duck around, all sorts of things he could do to make the game drag out. How would Bucky respond?

He paused and looked around. There were booths filled with prizes for different winners. Hell, all he had to do was find something that required something that needed two hands. He grinned as he spotted one with rifles and targets. Even better, there were big, plush Pokémon prizes full of the original Pokémon. He stopped walking and his body jerked as Bucky pulled him along. Bucky stopped and looked at him. 

“What is it?” Bucky asked. Steve pointed to the booth and Bucky followed his gaze. “Later,” he said. 

“Daddy,” Steve whined. 

“You wanna be carrying a big ole’ stuffed toy around all day?” Bucky asked. 

“But there’s Pokémon!” Steve said. 

“They’ll be there later, baby,” Bucky said. “I promise, I’ll win you some prizes later, okay?” 

“Fine,” Steve said. "Jerk." 

Bucky squeezed his hand and led him deeper into the park towards the rides. It was a hot and sticky June day. Summer was well under way, but Steve kept close to the cool metal of Bucky’s arm, studying the way that the light reflected off it. It was fascinating. Steve wished he understood how it worked, how it had been invented. For now, though, he would content himself with having fun. Bucky ignored the smaller ones and went towards the big ones. He got in line to a particularly large ride. 

“This might be a bad time to mention that I have a tendency to throw up on these things,” Steve said quietly. “Just so you know.”

“Really?” Bucky asked. Steve nodded. “Well, I guess it’s a good thing that you last ate a few hours ago.” 

“You know I can’t digest food that quickly,” Steve said. 

“Well, if you want to get out of line and find something that you’ll be able to handle, just say your safeword,” Bucky said. Steve didn’t say anything. “I love rollercoasters. I love the thrill that you get when you’re on one.” 

“Me, too,” Steve replied. “My stomach just doesn’t agree with my head.”

“Or maybe you’re just a glutton for punishment,” Bucky said with a grin. 

“Could be both,” Steve pointed out. 

By the time they made it to the front of the line, Steve was filled with nervous excitement. He was ready for this. Bucky took the cuff of Steve’s wrist and Steve got in the car next to Bucky. They were strapped in and Steve reached down and took Bucky’s hand. Bucky laced their fingers together. 

“Scared?” Bucky asked. Steve shook his head silently and Bucky chuckled softly. “Aww, so brave.”

“Shut up,” Steve said with a chuckle. The ride pulled out of the station and started going up the first big hill. Steve braced himself. He was determined not to vomit on his date with Bucky because he really did like rollercoasters. At least it wasn’t one of those old wooden ones. Those were always worse. 

He did scream, though, when they went down. Bucky just laughed and whooped as they raced down the hill. He even threw his hands up in the air as they went down the hills. Steve just held on until the car came through the station again. As soon as he was out of the car, he dashed away down the platform into the crowd. 

“Hey, you punk, get back here!” Bucky shouted after him. 

“Catch me if you can!” Steve called back. 

“Brat!” 

Steve laughed and kept going. He looked over his shoulder to see Bucky running towards him. Steve ducked around a game booth and kept going. A moment later, Bucky caught him and grinned down at him victoriously. 

“Got you, baby boy,” he said. He didn’t even break a sweat catching Steve and it was honestly kinda hot. 

“Yeah, you got me,” Steve said. “What’re you gonna do about it?” 

Before Bucky did anything else, he secured the cuff around Steve’s wrist. Then he gripped Steve’s chin in his flesh hand and angled his face up to him. 

“Why’d you do that?” Bucky asked. 

“It was fun,” Steve replied. 

“I gave you a rule,” Bucky said. “What was it?” 

“To ask before being released,” Steve replied with a grin. “You didn’t say I couldn’t go off on my own once I wasn’t attached to you.” 

Bucky glared down at him and flicked his forehead. “It was implied, brat,” he said. 

Steve just laughed. “But it wasn’t explicitly stated,” he countered. “I didn’t break any rules.” 

Bucky sighed. “Fine, okay, I’ll admit that you win this round,” he said. “New rule, you can’t run off on your own just because I let you go. Got it?” 

“Yes,” Steve said. Bucky raised an eyebrow. “Yes, Daddy.” 

“Good boy,” he said. Then he grinned as he let Steve go. “Though I gotta say, you’re pretty quick when you wanna be.” 

“Not fast enough to get away for long,” Steve replied. Bucky just shrugged as he started walking towards some of the other big rides. Steve had a feeling he was gonna pay in some not so subtle way for breaking that unspoken rule. 

“That’s what military training will do for ya,” Bucky said. “Now come on, the day is young.”

* * *

Steve actually did throw up on one of the rides, but thankfully, it didn’t hit anyone. Immediately afterwards, Bucky took him over to a bench and rubbed his back until he was feeling better before treating Steve to lemonade to help him get the taste of vomit out of his mouth. That was the last big ride that Bucky made him go on, coincidentally. 

The rest of the day was mostly just on the beach. It was crowded, as usual, but Steve loved it. Bucky ended up falling asleep in the sun and Steve, being the strategic opportunist that he was since he was still bound to Bucky even though he was sleeping, decided to bury Bucky in the sand. 

It was easier said than done. Steve was not left-handed, after all, and reached Bucky’s feet was a bit of a challenge considering how much shorter he was than Bucky. Eventually, he managed it, covering every inch of Bucky’s body except for the head in the warm, sand. As soon as he was done, he lay down next to him and relaxed. The sun felt good, even though the most that Steve would get would be freckles. 

He had no idea how long he lay there with Bucky. Eventually he noticed that his arm was pulled away as Bucky went to roll over… before Bucky sat straight up. He spluttered gracefully as he brushed the sand from his body. Steve couldn’t help it. He laughed as Bucky groaned loudly before turning to glare at Steve. 

“Damn, you’re bein’ a real brat today,” Bucky muttered. “I let my guard down for one minute and you turn on me.”

“Technically, you let your guard down for an hour,” Steve replied smugly. “And you didn’t let me go, so I didn’t really have much to do.” 

“Could’ve woken me up and asked,” Bucky said. 

“Yeah, but where’s the fun in that?” Steve replied with a grin. 

“I see,” Bucky replied he leaned over Steve and pushed him back until he was laying on his back with Bucky over him. “So it’s ‘fun’ you want, is it? The little brat wants to play, is that it?” 

Steve gulped and nodded. Bucky growled above him and moved down to suck at Steve’s collarbone. Steve moaned a little more loudly than he intended and he blushed as he looked around. No one was paying any attention to them, though. 

“Careful, baby boy,” Bucky purred against his skin. “You might attract an audience. They’d all see what a pretty little slut you can be for me, wouldn’t they?”

Steve tensed at that. He honestly had no idea what that would be like, if it were even something he’d get out of their relationship. Exhibitionism was never something that he’d looked into when he was investigating kink. Honestly, Steve was just kinda turned off by the idea of being seen. 

“Don’t like that, huh?” Bucky asked. He came off Steve’s collarbone to look down at him. Steve blushed and shook his head. “All right, I’ll add that to the ‘don’t’ list.” 

“You have lists?” Steve asked. 

“I do,” Bucky replied. “The day after we did the first big negotiation, I made a document to remind myself of it in case I ever got an idea and needed to check and see if it was something that you’d said no to already.” 

“That’s… wow, that’s impressive,” Steve said. Bucky just shrugged. 

“It’s nothing, really,” he replied. “Now… do you want to stop, or do you want to just make out on the beach like teenagers?” 

“I mean, I’m never gonna say no to making out, Daddy,” Steve replied with a grin. 

Bucky smiled and leaned down to kiss him. Steve smiled against his lips. It wasn’t anything heated, but it was insistent. Bucky demanded his attention, his lips hungry as his hands held Steve’s face in place. Steve hummed as he reached up with his unbound hand and ran his fingers through Bucky’s hair. Bucky moaned softly against him. He couldn’t help but get hard. 

“Daddy,” Steve breathed. 

“Yeah, baby boy?” Bucky replied. “Mmm, taste so good, baby.” 

“Tea,” Steve said. Bucky moved off him and Steve blushed as he crossed his legs. 

“At least you use your safeword,” Bucky said. “Some subs really struggle with that.” 

“You know something?” Steve asked. 

“What?”

“The whole reason why I used it the first time was to see if you would listen when I used it,” Steve said. “I wasn’t really uncomfortable, but I wanted to know.” 

“That’s good,” Bucky said, a note of pride in his voice. “Better to use it before you’re actually facing a real boundary that you’re not comfortable with. I once had to break up with a sub because he never used his safeword even though I kept going over the lines that he hadn’t told me about.”

“I’m sorry you had to go through with that,” Steve said. 

“It’s okay, it was a long time ago,” Bucky said. “He eventually found a real nice, real vanilla gal and they’re married with kids, now.” 

“That’s good,” Steve replied. He looked out at the ocean. “Do you think we could go down to the water?” 

“We could, why?” Bucky said. 

“Umm…” Steve said with a blush. “I still have a… you know. And the water is cold.” 

Bucky grinned down at him in amusement. Steve smacked his shoulder and Bucky actually laughed. 

“What if I said no?” Bucky asked with a wicked grin. “What would you do then?” 

Steve’s hand went to the cuff on his wrist and Bucky’s metal hand seized his wrist roughly. Steve hissed in pain as Bucky gripped him. Bucky gave him a hard, stern look, all trace of joviality and amusement gone from his face. 

“Think very carefully before you do that,” Bucky said. “Punishment and discipline aren’t the same thing and one is a lot more fun than the other. Remember what happened last week?”

Steve swallowed and looked down. “Yes, Sir,” he said.

“Do you want a repeat of that?” Bucky asked. “Because trust me, that’s not nearly the worst thing that I can come up with.” 

Steve remembered how utterly humiliating it was and that was just in front of Bucky’s friends. Other people had seen it, but Steve didn’t know who they were. The worst part was Bucky being disappointed in him and people witnessing it. That Bucky would have no problem doing it again was… terrifying. 

“Believe me,” Bucky continued quietly. “You may have issues doing something in public, but I don’t have the same qualms. I don’t care who sees me chewing you out. You break my rules, you get punished. So, do you want to do this here? Now?” 

Steve shook his head. “No, Sir,” he said. Bucky hummed. 

“No, I think you shouldn’t get away that easily,” Bucky said. “Call me Daddy. I don’t want you to call me anything else today. I don’t care who’s around, as long as they’re not your ma, got it?” 

“Yes, Daddy,” Steve said. “I don’t wanna be punished, Daddy.” 

“I didn’t think so,” Bucky said. He released Steve’s wrist. 

Steve hissed as he looked down at himself. It wouldn’t bruise, but it had hurt and the grooves in Bucky’s hand had left lines on his skin. He was harder than ever, now and he desperately wanted to not be horny when he was around so many people. 

“Now, if I say you can’t go, what do you do?” Bucky asked. 

“I stay, Daddy,” Steve said with a pout. 

“That’s right,” Bucky replied. “So, I don’t feel like going to the water. Do you know what I _do_ feel like?” 

“What?” Steve asked. 

“I feel like getting a hot dog,” Bucky said with a grin. Steve had all of one second to prepare himself before Bucky stood. He scrambled to his feet and followed as Bucky started walking. Steve finally managed to get himself upright as Bucky began brushing sand from his body.

“I’m gonna have sand in my arm for weeks, probably,” Bucky muttered. 

“Sorry, Daddy,” Steve said. 

“Don’t be,” Bucky replied. “I came to the beach, it was a calculated risk.” 

Bucky led him to the nearest hot dog stand and purchased himself one hot dog with mustard. He took a bit into it as they started walking back and Steve was slightly confused. 

“Um, what?” 

“Hm?” Bucky asked around a mouthful of hot dog. 

“Where’s my hot dog?” he asked. 

“Your hot dog?” Bucky asked. “I didn’t get you one.” 

“Yeah, I noticed,” Steve drawled. Bucky sighed.

"Did you want one?" he asked. 

"Yes," Steve replied. 

"Why didn't you ask for one, then?" Bucky asked. 

"Thought you'd say no since we're getting dinner," Steve said. 

"Hey, if you want something to tide you over, it's fine, baby," Bucky said. He went back and got another hot dog, which he handed to Steve.

"Thanks, Daddy," Steve said. 

"You're welcome, baby boy," Bucky said with a smile. 

Steve smiled and followed him along. They munched on their hot dogs as they sat back down on their towels. It took a bit of maneuvering on Steve's part since he only had one hand to balance himself. The hot dog helped to settle his rumbling stomach, but it didn't satisfy him entirely. That was probably for the best, to be honest. The sun was beginning to approach the horizon. Steve glanced at his phone and read the time as 6:30. 

“Something wrong, baby?” Bucky asked. 

“I’m still hungry,” he said. “Want food.” 

“We’ll leave soon, baby, don’t worry,” Bucky said. Steve grunted and pouted towards the ocean. “What’s wrong?” 

“Wanted to swim, but now we’re leaving,” Steve said. 

“I thought you just wanted to get rid of your boner,” Bucky replied. 

“I like the ocean,” Steve said. “Haven’t gotten to swim cause you fucking fell asleep.” 

Bucky frowned and unhooked their cuff and slung an arm around Steve’s shoulder. Steve let himself be tucked against Bucky’s chest. It felt good. Bucky was listening to him instead of just making him go along with him. 

“Hey,” Bucky said. “Do you wanna talk about the cuff?” 

“Sure,” Steve replied. 

“You don’t seem to like it,” Bucky said. 

“I don’t _dis_ like it,” Steve said. “I just don’t like it when you ignore me and I can’t do anything. Like, half the reason why I buried you was because I couldn’t leave and you were sleeping.”

“I’m sorry,” Bucky said. “What do you like about it?” 

“I like that you want me to be close to you,” Steve replied. “I even sort of like being bound to you.” 

“So it sounds like the problem was that I fell asleep and forced you to do nothing,” Bucky said. “We can modify it a bit.”

“Thanks,” Steve replied. Bucky kissed him on the head before he stood up. 

"How about if we did this sort of thing again and I fall asleep, you don't have to follow the other rules about the cuff," Bucky 

“So, wanna go down to the water?” Bucky asked. Steve grinned up at him and Bucky started running towards the waves. Steve scrambled to his feet and went after him.

* * *

By the time they started heading for the park exit, Steve had to admit something: for a damn kinky bastard, Bucky was romantic sap. Steve also had to admit that he fucking loved it. After dinner, which wasn’t all that fancy, Bucky took Steve to the Wonder Wheel. That in and of itself wasn’t all that fancy, but by the time they got to the front of the line, it was completely dark. 

Steve looked out onto the park illuminated by the festive lights. It was utterly gorgeous. Neither of the times Steve had been to Coney Island before had lasted this long. They usually ran out of money after a few hours. Steve was honestly somewhat disappointed that he didn’t get a great look at the park. The wheel kept going until they reached a less than ideal vantage point. 

It wasn’t until they were going up again that Steve began looking around. This time, they stopped at the apex of the wheel. Steve looked at the park, at the dancing lights shimmering in the night, bright enough to be its own, tiny star. He fixed the image in his mind, determined to draw it later. 

“Hey,” Bucky said. 

Steve turned his gaze back to him. Their arms were connected once again and Steve didn’t mind anymore, since Bucky was paying attention to him. Bucky smiled down at him and placed his flesh hand gently on Steve’s cheek and leaned in to kiss him. Steve smiled. It was utterly corny and cheesy and ridiculous and the single nicest thing that he’d ever felt. 

“What was that for?” Steve asked when they separated. He couldn’t help the smile on his face as he looked up at Bucky. Bucky just grinned. 

“Felt like kissin’ ya,” he replied. “The lights made ya look pretty.” 

“Aww, you sap,” Steve said. “You’re just a big ole softie, aren’t ya?” 

“I am not,” Bucky replied with an exaggerated pout. “Tryin’ to pay yous a compliment and this is the thanks I get?” 

“Aww, Daddy, don’t be sad,” Steve said. “I like it. You’re sweet.” 

“We’ll see how sweet I am after I give you your first spanking,” Bucky said with a wink. Steve shivered against him. “Thought you’d like that.” 

“Shut up and kiss me again, jerk,” Steve muttered. Bucky just laughed as he complied. The wheel started turning again but the only thing Steve could think about was Bucky’s lips and his short, bristly facial hair scratching against his skin. He wrapped his free arm around Bucky’s waist as he pulled him closer. 

They were interrupted by a cough and Steve blushed as he opened his eyes to the operator waiting for them to get off. A few people in the crowd cheered and Bucky chuckled as he got up. 

“Sorry about that,” he said. 

“Yeah, yeah, just get goin’,” the operator said. “Lotsa people here doin’ the same thing.” 

Steve laughed as he followed Bucky out. He started heading towards the exit and Steve had to admit that it was a good idea. As much as he was enjoying this, he was ready to leave and be alone with Bucky. As they were nearing the exit, Steve turned and spied the very same game booth with the carnival guns and Pokémon prizes. He stopped Bucky.

“What is it?” Bucky asked. Steve pointed excitedly towards the booth. Bucky smiled. “That’s right, I promised I’d stop by here on our way out, didn’t I?” Steve nodded excitedly. “All right, let’s get you your first stuffie.” 

“Stuffie?” Steve asked. 

“It’s what littles call their stuffed toys,” Bucky replied. “Many littles find them helpful for getting into little space.” 

“Huh. Cool,” Steve replied. They walked over to the booth and Bucky handed the proprietor the money. There were a series of targets set up of varying sizes and values. The big toys had the smallest targets and Steve really, really wanted a big one.

Bucky held the rifle up, aimed, and took a shot. He missed and Steve felt a twinge of disappointment. Maybe this wouldn’t be as impressive as he thought it would be. Immediately afterwards, Bucky adjusted and hit four small targets consecutively. Steve cheered at the end. 

“Holy shit, that was amazing!” Steve said. 

“I told you,” Bucky said with a smug smile. “I was a sniper in the Marines.” 

“You didn’t tell me that!” Steve protested. “You just said you were a Marine!” 

“Oh. Well, now you know,” Bucky said. “Go on, pick one.” 

Steve looked up at the toys collected in the booth. He was conflicted. He liked a lot of the original Pokémon, especially the starters. 

“I like Bulbasaur,” he said. “But I also like Squirtle. I don’t know.” 

Bucky just slapped down some more money for another round and hit every target. A small crowd cheered excitedly. Bucky laid the rifle down. 

“One Bulbasaur and one Squirtle,” he said. The proprietor handed him a big plush toy of each and Steve grabbed the Bulbasaur and hugged it to his chest. Bucky hooked the other one under his arm, kissed his temple, and laced their fingers together as they walked away. 

“Thank you, Daddy,” Steve said. He felt giddy. He felt himself slide a little bit. He didn’t really care. He squeezed his Bulbasaur a little tighter. “I love them.” 

“I’m glad, baby boy,” Bucky said, glancing down at him with a fond smile. 

“Daddy?”

“Yes?” 

“I think I’m sliding,” Steve said. 

“It’s okay, baby boy,” Bucky replied. “Daddy’s here. Daddy will take care of you. You go ahead and slide.” 

Steve let go and let himself slide into little space while clutching his new stuffie. Everything seemed so much simpler like this and he could just let himself be happy. Bucky kissed him again at a stop light and Steve giggled. 

“You wanna sleep with your new stuffies tonight, baby boy?” 

“Yeah,” Steve replied. “With you, too, Daddy?” 

“Of course I will, baby boy,” Bucky said. “I promise.” 

Steve squeezed Bucky’s metal hand happily and stepped closer to Bucky’s body. He couldn’t wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bulbasaur is the best Kanto starter Pokemon and I will take no questions on that. 
> 
> Comments and kudos give me life, y'all! <3


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More lemons. Of the spanking and edging variety. Just so y'all know. ;)

2 weeks later, Bucky was feeling pretty good about the status of his relationship with Steve. They hadn’t been able to hang out quite as much as he might’ve wanted to, but they talked every day. Steve was taking more shifts at the coffee shop to make up for the days that he’d missed due to his sub drop. 

Bucky’s job was starting to look at new projects and he was designing new prosthetic legs for a veteran who’d lost both her legs in Iraq. It was good to have something to focus on, a challenge to overcome, but it did mean that his overall availability wasn’t as open as it used to be. He hadn’t actually seen Steve outside the coffee shop since their weekend together. 

On the first day of July, he walked into the coffee shop. Steve wasn’t around. Bucky figured he was in the break room or something. How he managed to get up every day at 3 to get to work at 5 was beyond Bucky. He hated getting up before to get to work at 10 unless he was making Steve breakfast. 

He got to the front of the line and Steve’s friend, Peter appeared to take his order. Only, he didn’t move at all. 

“Hey, got a question for you, Steve’s jerk,” Peter said. Bucky sighed and rolled his eyes in amusement. 

“Yes?” he asked. 

“Has Steve talked to you about his birthday?” Peter asked. Bucky blinked. That… was about as far from what he expected as it could get. 

“Um… no?” Bucky replied. “Hasn’t been that long, oddly enough. Do you know when it is?” 

“Yeah, it’s the 4th,” Peter said. “That would be why Steve hasn’t been talking about it.” 

“Wait… the 4th as in three days from now?” Bucky asked. 

A mild panic started forming in his chest as Peter nodded. What the hell was he gonna do? Why on earth hadn’t Steve mentioned anything? He had just planned to take Steve out and see some fireworks, grab some hot dogs or something. A birthday called for something a little more creative than that. 

“I’m not surprised you didn’t know,” Peter said. “Steve hates his birthday.” 

“Why?” Bucky asked. “It’s not like it doesn’t suit him.” 

“Right? I don’t know. He’s just always been really hesitant about doing anything that was on or around his birthday,” Peter replied. “Maybe if you asked him, he’d tell you.”

“Thanks, I’ll do that,” Bucky replied. “After a Frappuccino.”

* * *

Steve got a text as his shift ended. He glanced down at it and smiled as he looked at Bucky’s contact. 

Daddy: **You wanna come over tonight?**

Steve: **Yeah, I’d love to. Don’t have work tomorrow, anyway. You picking me up or should I come over?**

He pocketed his phone and started walking towards the metro station. He was very aware of the fact that he still hadn’t told Bucky that his birthday was coming up. To be honest, he didn’t like people making a fuss about it. Steve’s birthday received lots of attention, anyway with everyone out cookouts and throwing Frisbees or whatever else people did for the 4th of July. 

He would worry about that later, though. Right now, he was going to be able to see Bucky tonight. He was excited to see him. Ever since his sub drop, their relationship seemed to have stalled as life got busier. He thought about Bucky all the time. It was somewhat annoying that he couldn’t see him as often as he wanted to aside from the times when Bucky came in to order his coffee. 

They kept up with each other, though. Steve would text him every day to say how he was feeling when he woke up. They texted throughout the day about what they were doing. Steve sometimes sent him pictures of latte art he made. At night, he sent Bucky a list of all the things he’d done to take care of himself before he went to bed. If he didn’t, he’d get a call. It felt good to have someone so concerned about his wellbeing. 

He had time for a nap before he met Bucky tonight, so that was good. Before he descended into the metro station to go back to Brooklyn, he checked his phone again. 

Daddy: **I’ll pick you up at 6, baby boy. Thought we could take it easy tonight. Maybe play around a bit.**

Steve stared at that last sentence. It could mean anything. The thing was, though, ever since his slide into little space after Coney Island, he hadn’t felt the desire or the need to do so. He felt great, actually, like he was more capable of dealing with stressful situations. 

On the other hand, it could mean something else. Maybe Bucky had other kinds of kinky thoughts about this evening. An excited smile bloomed on his face and he couldn’t help but let it take over. This would be a good night. 

Steve: **Sounds good to me, Daddy. Should I do anything to prepare?**

Daddy: **Nope. Just look pretty.**

Steve: **You always think I look pretty**

Daddy: **That’s because you’re always pretty, doll. :)**

Steve blushed and smiled to himself. Sure, it was true that part of him was phishing for a compliment there, but it was always nice to hear. It was a nice change and he never got tired of it. 

It was almost hard to believe that they had been dating for nearly a month. Sometimes it felt like longer, other times it felt like no time at all. He tucked his phone in his pocket and walked down the steps into the metro station, thinking of what could be planned for this evening.

* * *

Steve woke up at 5:30, with just enough time to get up and get dressed before Bucky picked him up. So naturally, he lazed about on the couch until he had only 10 minutes before Bucky was due to arrive before he groaned and got up. Unfortunately, Sam was there and he laughed. 

“What’s got you all bright eyed and bushy tailed?” he asked. Steve rolled his eyes and flipped him off. “Aw, come on, I know you’ve got something planned.” 

“I’m seeing Bucky tonight,” Steve replied. Sam, in that annoying, caring way of his, whooped and laughed. 

“Well, far be it from me to keep you from your sugar daddy,” he said. “What did you have to do to get him to completely restock your wardrobe like that, anyway?”

Steve blushed bright red and bid a hasty retreat. Unfortunately, he shared a room with Sam and his best friend/arch nemesis, who just followed him. He began rummaging through his drawers. He was thinking something casual. No point in dressing up if they weren’t going out, after all. Besides, he liked the casual clothes Bucky got him. He pulled out a dark blue t-shirt and a pair of jeans just as someone knocked at their door. 

“Speak of the devil,” Sam said as he raced away. Steve dashed to the door to his room. 

“Sam, don’t say anything weird!” he shouted after him. He closed the door and raced to throw his clothes on. 

He barely managed to get clothes on his body and get out the door before he heard Sam talking to Bucky. He couldn’t tell what was being said, but Sam was… Sam. He was Steve’s best friend, but he was also a bit of a troll when it came to Steve and he jumped at every opportunity to embarrass him. 

“Great, you’re here,” he said. “Let’s get outta here.” 

“What’s the hurry, man?” Sam asked. “That eager to go out with your sugar daddy? Is it time to buy a new wardrobe or something? Maybe some new shoes?” 

Steve blushed fiercely at the word and glanced at Bucky. Bucky himself looked completely collected and unflappable, but he did glance at Steve with the ghost of a sly smile on his face. 

“Please, if I needed anything, it would be more canvases and art paper,” Steve replied. “I’m still not caught up with my commissions. And he’s not my sugar daddy.” 

“He’s not?” Sam asked. “Then what is he?” 

“My boyfriend,” Steve said with a blush. Sam just laughed and waved them off. Steve grabbed Bucky’s hand and dragged him to the front door. He sighed when he stepped out and leaned against the door. “Sorry about him.” 

“I’ve met worse, believe me,” Bucky said. “Unfortunately, I think he would get along swimmingly with Nat and Clint.”

“Don’t even joke about that,” Steve replied. “Can you imagine our best friends getting together and giving us shit?”

“Well, now that you’ve said it, it’s bound to happen sometime,” Bucky said with a chuckle. “By the way, it’s okay if you do see me as your sugar daddy. I don’t mind.” 

Steve looked up at him and frowned. “I do.” 

“I can see that,” Bucky replied. “Why? What’s wrong with thinking of me as your sugar daddy?” 

“Because it makes it seem like I’m only interested in you for your money,” Steve said. “I don’t wanna be like that, I think it’s wrong.” 

“So righteous,” Bucky said with a grin. Steve scowled up at him. 

“Don’t tease me,” he said. “What’s wrong with having a strong sense of morality?” 

“I’m not teasing you,” Bucky replied. “I think it’s good that you feel as strongly as you do. More people could stand to learn a thing or two from the way you see the world.” 

Steve smiled. “Thanks,” he said. Bucky stepped back and took his hand and laced their fingers together. 

“Ready to go?” Bucky asked. “I got lots of plans for tonight.” 

“Don’t suppose you’ll tell me anything about them?” Steve asked. Bucky raised an eyebrow but said nothing. “It was worth a shot. Yeah, I’m ready”

* * *

Steve was surprised by how used to walking inside Bucky’s expensive home was becoming for him. The first couple times, it had taken his breath away, but now, it seemed as normal as anything else. It was a wonder what could change in just a month. 

Bucky surprised him when they walked inside by leading him not to the living room as they usually did, but upstairs. Then, rather than go to a bedroom, they went to a room Steve hadn’t seen inside of yet. They walked in and Steve was surprised to find that it was a study. It was the only room in the house that had any of Bucky’s personality to it. 

The room was lined with dark brown bookcases, a heavy wooden desk of the same shade with a computer, and a couple dark green armchairs. The walls were a sage green and the hardwood floors were off-white, almost tan. It was earthy and cozy. 

“I think this is my favorite room in your house,” Steve said. 

“Really? Why’s that?” Bucky asked. 

“It feels used,” Steve said. “Your house can feel a bit… sterile, at times, like no one really lives here.” 

Steve snapped his mouth shut and blushed. He ducked his head apologetically. “Sorry, I need to learn not to open my big mouth.” 

Bucky just shrugged. “You’re not the first one to say that,” Bucky said. “This room is the only one I ever got around to decorating before work on the prosthetic design began taking off. I spend a lot of time here.” 

“You work too much,” Steve said. “You should learn to play more.” 

Something dark flashed in Bucky’s eyes as he grinned. “Speaking of playing,” he said. He backed up and sat down in one of the armchairs. He stroked his chin and spread his legs. “On your knees.” 

Steve felt a rush of heat burn through him towards his groin as he knelt between Bucky’s legs. It went much more smoothly than before and he saw a note of approval in Bucky’s face. It made Steve even more excited for what came next. 

He could practically taste Bucky’s cock already and he started trembling with anticipation. Bizarrely, Bucky didn’t move to unzip his pants at all. He just regarded Steve silently for a moment. Eventually, Steve reached up, thinking that perhaps he was expected to be the one to get Bucky’s dick out, but Bucky slapped his hands away. 

“Bucky?” Steve asked. Bucky raised an eyebrow and Steve swallowed. “I mean, Daddy.” 

“Better,” Bucky commented. “What is it?” 

“What are we doing?” Steve asked. 

“Thinking,” Bucky replied. 

“What about?” Steve asked. 

“I’m just wondering why you didn’t tell me that your birthday was coming up,” Bucky remarked. _Oh shit_ , Steve thought. “Three days, I think Peter told me. July the 4th. Doesn’t give Daddy a whole lotta time to think of somethin’ now does it?” 

Steve swallowed. “No, Daddy,” he said. 

“No it doesn’t,” Bucky replied. He reached down casually and grabbed a fistful of Steve’s hair and yanked it to the side. Steve hissed with pain. “So when were you planning on telling me that your birthday was coming up? The day of? Was I going to have any time to think about your birthday?” 

Steve wracked his brain quickly. He honestly didn’t know. He’d say he avoided the topic for a reason, but to be honest, he didn’t know why he avoided telling people when his birthday was. Bucky gave another tug on his hair as he looked down at him sternly. 

“Tell me!” he said. 

“I don’t know!” Steve said. “I don’t know, I swear.” 

“Not good enough,” Bucky growled. “What kind of Daddy doesn’t celebrate his boy’s birthday?” 

“I don’t celebrate my birthday,” Steve said. “Why would I think to ask other people to celebrate it?” 

Bucky’s face softened to something almost resembling… sadness. 

“I care about you, baby,” Bucky said. “Of course I would want to celebrate your birthday with you.” 

Steve sighed. “I know,” he said. “I just don’t get it.” 

“Haven’t you ever had a birthday party, baby?” Bucky asked. 

“Sure. In hospitals,” Steve replied. “If I wasn’t in one, my ma was and my dad, being a fire fighter, had all those cookouts and shit that happened.” 

“They didn’t get you a cake?” Bucky asked. 

“They did, but it was never really about me,” Steve said. “It was about the 4th of July. And after he died, well, ma worked almost nonstop to keep food on the table.” 

“Aw, baby,” Bucky said. 

“Don’t,” Steve said. “I don’t want pity.” 

“It’s not a crime to let other people feel for ya, ya know,” Bucky said. 

“Well don’t. I can get by just fine on my own. Always have,” Steve replied. 

“See, here’s the thing: you don’t have to,” Bucky said. He let go of Steve’s hair and moved his hand down to grip his chin. He ran a thumb over Steve’s lower lip gently. “You’re mine, baby boy. Daddy takes care of you, now. Just gotta stop fightin’ me.” 

Bucky let go of Steve’s chin and propped his own chin on his fist almost lazily. Steve searched his face for any sign of what to expect. He found nothing. 

“Stand up,” Bucky said. Steve stood a little less smoothly than he’d knelt and Bucky gave a derisive click of his tongue. “Still gotta work on that.” 

Steve’s face grew red with shame. “I’m sorry, Daddy,” he said. Bucky hummed thoughtfully. 

“Strip,” he said. 

Steve immediately took his shirt and jeans off until he was standing in naught but his boxers and socks. Bucky raised an eyebrow and Steve blushed more as he shucked his boxers to the floor and pulled his socks off. Bucky reached out and groped his ass possessively, squeezing it tightly before giving it a playful smack. Steve moaned. 

“So horny for me already,” Bucky purred. “We’ll see how long you can keep that up.” He patted his lap. “Bend over.” 

Steve blushed furiously and trembled as he bent over Bucky’s legs. Bucky reached around him with his arms and positioned him until Steve was situated to his liking. Steve shook. His hard cock was pressed against Bucky’s muscled thigh. 

Bucky was still completely clothed in his slacks and deep red button down. The sleeves were rolled up and the black tie was still perfectly in place. Steve became very aware of his own nudity. The shame and thrill of being so exposed only made him harder. Bucky reached down and squeezed Steve’s ass. 

“You’re not being punished,” he said. “You haven’t broken any rules, yet. This is discipline. You’re gonna get 10 and you’re gonna count them. If you don’t, it doesn’t count.” 

“Why am I being disciplined?” Steve said a little more petulantly than he intended. Maybe Bucky was right about him being a brat. Bucky reached down and pulled his head back. 

“One: because I feel like it,” Bucky said, his voice dark and low. “Two: because you didn’t communicate information that I needed to know. Three: because you need to learn submission.” 

“Yes, Daddy,” Steve said with a strained voice. 

“One more thing: you won't get to come without permission tonight,” Bucky said. “If you do, you’ll be punished. Got it?” 

“Yes, Daddy,” Steve replied. Bucky didn’t let go of his hair. The stinging pain and the angle it forced his head into was doing wonders for his erection. Unfortunately, Steve couldn’t do anything to get himself off. 

“Good boy,” Bucky said. 

Almost as soon as he was done saying it, he smacked the right side of Steve’s ass. Hard. Steve yelped and jerked in Bucky’s lap, but he was held in place by the fist in his hair. Steve looked at him in surprise and found Bucky looking at him expectantly. He swallowed, still stunned by the pain. 

“Not fast enough,” Bucky said. He smacked his ass again and just because Steve knew it was coming didn’t mean that he was any more prepared for it. 

“O-One,” Steve gasped. “Fuck, ow.” 

“Thought you said you were a masochist,” Bucky said. Steve could hear the smug grin in his voice and said nothing. “You got at least 9 more where that came from.” 

Bucky wasn’t gentle. Every smack to Steve’s ass burned like the devil, much more so than Steve was expecting. It felt amazing, though, at the same time. Bucky alternated between each side of Steve’s ass and each smack resulted in a ripple of flabby flesh. Steve only faltered again on the 7th spank before he recovered. 

When the last strike came, Steve recited the number with a gasp and Bucky’s metal hand let go of his hair. Steve hung his head and trembled on Bucky’s lap. Bucky ran his flesh hand over Steve’s ass. It still stung. 

“Fuck, baby boy, your ass looks so pretty like this,” Bucky said. He squeezed one side of Steve’s ass and Steve hissed. “Gonna take a picture of you like this, baby. What’s your number?” 

“You gonna share it?” Steve asked. 

“Nope,” Bucky said, squeezing Steve’s ass again. “Gonna save it to my phone behind a password and jack off to it sometime.” 

“8,” Steve replied. A moment later, Bucky held the phone in front of him. His ass was a bright, vibrant red. “Jesus, Buck, what did you hit me with?”

“My hand,” he said smugly. He reached down and pinched Steve’s ass lightly. Steve hissed in pain and rutted against Bucky’s leg. “Aww, Stevie, you a little hot and bothered?” 

“What do you think?” Steve replied. Bucky hummed and rubbed a hand along the mound of Steve’s ass. 

“I think that it doesn’t matter,” he said. “You might not come tonight, either way.” 

“What!?” Steve demanded. “You jerk! That’s not fair!”

“Nope, it’s not,” Bucky agreed. “It’s also not fair for me to have just heard about your birthday today.” 

Steve pouted. “I’m sorry.”

“I know,” Bucky said. He leaned down and kissed Steve’s temple. Then he patted Steve’s ass and chuckled as Steve glared at him. “All right, get up.” 

Steve got up and hissed as he pulled his pants up. He grimaced as he situated himself. It was definitely less… comfortable than he was expecting it to be, though in all honesty, having never been spanked before he probably should’ve expected it to hurt. 

“So what are we doing, exactly?” Steve asked when he was decent again. “You said you wanted to take it easy and play a bit. We played, so what now?” 

“We’re done? I didn’t realize,” Bucky replied. 

“You just spanked me,” Steve pointed out. 

“And?” Bucky asked. “Who said that that was all I planned on doing?” 

“Oh, fine, you smartass,” Steve said, rolling his eyes. “So what else do you have planned for tonight, then?” 

Bucky reached down and pinched Steve’s sore bottom with his metal hand. Steve yelped and jumped away. He glared at Bucky, who just shrugged nonchalantly. 

“I guess you’ll find out, won’t you?” Bucky said. He made his way to the door and opened it. “Come on, we don’t have all night.” 

Steve scowled after him for a second before he followed him. Bucky went straight to his bedroom. He turned around and directed Steve to bend over the bed. Then he unbuttoned Steve’s pants and dropped them down to the floor. Steve blushed furiously as he wondered what was coming. Surely Bucky wouldn’t continue spanking him when he was as sore as he was. 

“What’s your number?” Bucky asked. 

“What are you doing?” Steve replied. 

“I’m gonna put something in your pretty ass,” Bucky said. “You’re not getting any other hints.”

“Is it your dick?” Steve asked. 

“No,” Bucky said. “What’s your number?” 

“9,” Steve replied. He trembled with excitement and trepidation. 

“Good boy,” Bucky said. Steve tried to look over his shoulder at what Bucky was doing. “Eyes forward!” Bucky barked and Steve snapped his head back to look at the far wall. 

He heard the telltale click of a bottle of lube. It was all the warning he had before he felt a finger at his entrance. It circled his entrance for a moment and Steve tensed up a bit. 

“Relax,” Bucky murmured gently. “I’ve got you, baby.” 

Steve forced himself to relax. A moment later, Bucky pressed the finger into him. He went slowly, but Steve still fisted his hands in the blanket beneath him. It had been a long time since he had anything in his ass. Through some great effort on his part, Steve didn’t tighten down on the digit as it pushed further in. 

“Shit, Steve, you’re so damn tight,” Bucky murmured. “Such a hungry little hole, too. When was the last time you had anything in you?” 

“More than a year ago,” Steve replied. 

“Damn,” Bucky said. “Well, we’ll make sure you have fun with this.” 

“But I won’t come,” Steve whined. 

“Well, I’ll have fun, anyway,” Bucky replied. He began to fuck Steve’s hole with the finger and Steve arched into the touch. A moment later, Steve gasped and moaned as Bucky found his prostate. “There it is.” 

“Fuck,” Steve gasped. He hung his head as Bucky rubbed directly against his prostate. The little nub sparked with pleasure, sending pulses of electricity up through his body. His cock was almost painfully hard. He wanted so much to reach down and touch himself, but he kept his hands where they were. 

“That feel good?” Bucky asked. 

“Yes, Daddy,” Steve whined. He pushed back against Bucky’s hand and moaned again. 

“Fuck, baby,” Bucky moaned. “So desperate for something to fill your little hole, aren’t you?” 

“Please, Daddy,” Steve replied. 

“Don’t worry,” Bucky purred. “Got somethin’ real nice for ya.”

“You gonna fuck me, Daddy?” Steve asked.

“Not tonight, baby boy,” Bucky said. “Got somethin’ else in mind for ya.” 

Steve whined. Bucky’s metal hand squeezed part of Steve’s tender ass and Steve hissed as he arched against him. He stilled as Bucky pressed another finger to Steve’s entrance. He hissed at the burn as Bucky’s thick fingers stretched him open. Bucky went slowly, carefully, and Steve was honestly glad for it. 

“There you go, baby,” Bucky said when his second finger was fully seated in Steve’s ass. “You take my fingers so good. Look so pretty with my fingers in your ass.” 

“Fuck,” Steve gasped. He moaned as Bucky’s fingers began fucking him, grazing over his prostate with every thrust. Bucky’s metal hand grazed over his perineum at the same time and Steve moaned loudly and pushed back again on Bucky’s hand. 

“That’s it, slut,” Bucky groaned. “Fuck yourself on my fingers. So greedy for it aren’t you?” 

“Please, I want it,” Steve moaned. He folded his arms down and arched his back more as Bucky teased his prostate. He had to keep himself from coming and it was hard, but he managed somehow. “Feels so good, Daddy.” 

“I know, doll. I know,” Bucky murmured. 

He slowly extracted his fingers from Steve’s ass and Steve whined at the loss. He felt empty and fuck after a full year without getting fucked, he wanted to have something in his ass, dammit! His disappointment was short-lived, however. A moment later, he felt a smooth, silicone toy press against his entrance. Bucky pushed it in before he stood back up. 

“Alright, you can get up, now,” Bucky said. Steve huffed in disappointment as he stood. It was odd to have something in his ass like this. Bucky wiped his fingers off on a wet wipe and grabbed a device. 

“What are you up to?” Steve asked as he pulled his pants back on. He was in the middle of zipping them up when he felt a low vibration in his ass against his prostate. He yelped in surprise and looked at Bucky who grinned and presented a remote control with a dial. 

“That’s not fair,” Steve said. 

“Nope, it’s not,” Bucky said with a grin. “But it’s fun. For me, anyway.” 

“And I don’t suppose you’ll let me come at all tonight?” Steve asked. Bucky shrugged. “What if I do anyway?” 

“Well for one thing, you might mess up your pants,” Bucky replied. He reached down to cop Steve’s groin in his hand, stroking along the length of his hard member. Steve whimpered at the touch. “For another thing, you’d get punished. How specifically you’d be punished would depend on how long you last. What’s your number?” 

“8,” Steve replied. 

“Good boy,” Bucky replied. He turned Steve around and slapped his ass. Steve hissed and turned around to glare at Bucky as he rubbed himself. Bucky just smirked. “Go pick something to watch. I’ll order food. What you feelin’ like tonight?” 

“I feel like coming,” Steve muttered. 

“What was that?” Bucky asked. 

“I said Italian,” Steve replied. “With cheesy breadsticks.” 

“You got it, baby,” Bucky replied.

* * *

Eating a calzone on a nice couch with a vibrator in his ass made for an… interesting experience, to say the least. Steve went very carefully. He paid hardly any attention to the show he picked out. He focused on the vibrating against his prostate. It was hard to focus on anything else. 

Bucky seemed utterly unconcerned with Steve’s plight. He ate his baked penne with not a care in the world. Every now and then he fiddled with the controls. The vibrator gradually grew in intensity and it was all Steve could do half the time to not spill his food all over himself. Eventually, he put the food down and stuck to the breadsticks. At least those wouldn’t ruin his clothes. 

“How you doin’, baby?” Bucky asked halfway through whatever it was they were watching. Steve groaned half in pleasure and half in frustration. Bucky chuckled and reached over to cup Steve’s erection in his hand. He rubbed along the length and Steve gave a long, shuddering moan. 

“You should try to relax, baby,” Bucky purred softly. “Just enjoy it.” 

“Fuck you,” Steve breathed. Bucky laughed and shrugged. 

“If you really want to,” he replied. “I don’t mind bottoming.”

Steve groaned. Bucky chuckled and leaned in to kiss and suck along his neck. Steve moaned softly. Bucky crowded in around him as he kissed and sucked along his neck. Steve was dizzy with pleasure. The constant vibration against his prostate, Bucky’s hand on his cock, and his mouth on Steve’s neck all combined to make his head swim with the pleasure. His cock strained against the fabric and it was all Steve could do not to come immediately. 

“Does it hurt, baby?” Bucky whispered in Steve’s ear. 

“Feels so good it hurts, Daddy,” Steve whimpered. Bucky grinned against his neck. He pulled back long enough to pull Steve’s shirt off. As soon as it was gone, his mouth descended on Steve’s collarbone. “Please…” 

“Please what, baby?” Bucky asked. 

“Please let me come,” Steve whined. 

“Not gonna happen,” Bucky replied. Steve could feel him grinning against his skin. 

“Why not?” Steve demanded. 

“Because I’m having fun,” Bucky said. He sucked another mark on and the vibrating in Steve’s ass increased in speed. He fisted a hand in Bucky’s shirt as he groaned. “What’s your number?” 

“5,” Steve replied with a groan. 

“You need anything?” Bucky asked. 

“Could use some water,” Steve said. 

Bucky got up and walked into the kitchen. Steve glanced down at the couch next to him and saw the remote on the couch. He looked up. There was no sign of Bucky. He glanced back down at the remote. The vibrations in his ass were nearly unbearable. But if he turned it down and Bucky found out, it might make it even worse for him. 

Fuck it, Steve thought. He grabbed the remote and quickly turned the vibrator down to its lowest setting. He sighed softly with relief and put the remote back down right before Bucky returned with the glass of water. 

“Here you go,” Bucky said as he handed the glass to Steve. Steve took a large gulp from the water, hoping that his Irish complexion was too consumed with arousal to give anything away. Bucky sat down and looked at the remote. Steve cursed silently when he frowned. “I could’ve sworn this was at a higher setting.” 

Steve didn’t say anything. Bucky turned his gaze on him anyway. “You wouldn’t happen to know what happened, would you?” 

Steve shook his head. “Felt good, though,” he said. “That setting was getting to be a bit much.” 

“Oh it was?” Bucky asked. “That was only middling,” he said as he turned the vibrator back up to where it had been. Steve whined pitifully as he took another sip of water. 

“Daddy,” Steve whined. 

“I’ll ask again,” Bucky murmured lowly. “Did you change the setting while I was gone?” 

Steve briefly debated lying again, before he realized that while Bucky had several rules for him while they were here together, not touching a remote to a vibrator wasn’t one of them. It was the truth. Maybe it would get him out of a punishment. Not that being a smartass had ever done that, but there was a first time for everything, right?

“You never said that I couldn’t, Daddy,” Steve replied. “So I did. Just wanted a little break.”

“Aw, baby,” Bucky said as the vibrator was turned up even higher. “That was clumsy of me, wasn’t it? I should’ve been clearer about instructions since you’re clever like that.”

Steve hissed as the pleasure became nearly overwhelming. Bucky’s hands reached down to Steve’s pants and unbuttoned them and pulled them down. Steve’s cock was hard and red and glistening with pre-come. Bucky wrapped his flesh hand around it and began to stroke it leisurely. 

“W-Was I bad, Daddy?” Steve asked. 

“Yes, but you didn’t know better,” Bucky replied. “Can’t really hold that against you. Wouldn’t be fair.” 

“This isn’t fair, either,” Steve whined. “You won’t let me come, Daddy.” 

“Is Daddy being mean, baby?” Bucky asked right before he started sucking on one of Steve’s nipples. Steve gasped and moaned. 

“Y-Yes, Daddy,” Steve replied. “Just need to come and ya won’t let me.” 

“I know,” Bucky replied, squeezing Steve’s cock. “But just think: when I do let you come, it’ll be amazing. You’ll feel so good and Daddy will be here to give you what you need.” 

“When will that be?” Steve groaned. 

“What did I say? Not tonight?” Bucky asked. “This is your first time being edged, though. Maybe I should take it easy on you.” 

Steve looked at the time on his phone. It was only 7:30. He just hoped that whatever Bucky meant by “take it easy” meant that he would actually be allowed to come sometime tonight. 

Just as the thought had crossed his mind, the vibrator in his ass was turned up. Steve whimpered at the effort it took not to come, but Bucky just seemed amused by him, the jerk. 

“You close, baby?” he asked. Steve nodded and the vibrator was turned down to its lowest setting. He almost wept with relief or frustration, he wasn’t sure which. 

“Fuck,” he gasped. “Oh God, that’s… I don’t know what that is.” 

“You wanna keep watchin’ the show?” Bucky asked. 

“I don’t know what’s going on, to be honest,” Steve said. “Haven’t really been paying attention.” 

“Well, maybe it’ll take your mind off of your little problem,” Bucky replied with a sly smile. Steve scoffed. 

“As if you would ever let me forget completely,” he said. 

“Well, that’s part of the fun, isn’t it?” Bucky asked. “What’s your number?” 

Steve shrugged. “6.5? 7, maybe?” 

“Good boy,” Bucky said. He put down the remote and stroked Steve’s cheek with his metal hand. “You’re Daddy’s good boy, baby.” 

Steve preened under the praise as Bucky leaned in to kiss him. It was slow and hot and Steve moaned into Bucky’s mouth. Bucky pushed him until Steve was on his back and Bucky was on top of him. It was the most satisfying feeling in the world, at the moment. 

“You’re wearing too much,” Steve murmured as he arched his body against Bucky’s. “Wanna feel you, Daddy. Please? You’re so hot, Daddy.” 

Bucky smirked against Steve’s lips. “Well, when you put it that way, how can I not?” he asked. 

He knelt over Steve’s body and pulled his shirt off. Steve sat up and his hands immediately went to his chest. His hands trailed along the lines of muscle on Bucky’s body, feeling the strength and power in them. Bucky was thick. Steve couldn’t get enough of them. He was a fair bit hairier than Steve had expected when they first met. His chest and arm were covered in a layer of soft brown hair that Steve constantly ran his fingers through. 

His reverie was interrupted by Bucky moving his arms down to take his pants off. His cock sprang free and suddenly it was the only thing Steve could think about. He reached down and wrapped his hand around Bucky’s member. Bucky moaned softly as he kissed Steve again. 

“That’s it, baby boy,” he murmured. The vibrator suddenly increased in speed and Steve whined against Bucky’s mouth even as his grip tightened around Bucky’s cock. “Feel how hard you make your Daddy? Fuck, you’re so sexy, baby. Can hardly keep my hands off you.” 

“Fuck, Daddy,” Steve moaned. He tugged Bucky’s cock. It was a somewhat awkward angle, but he made do. He twisted his hand around the head and Bucky moaned against him. 

“Good boy,” Bucky moaned. He reached a hand up into Steve’s hair and pulled it back as he bent down to suck again on Steve’s neck. Steve hissed and moaned through the sting. He was going to explode. His body felt so much at once and it was so good it hurt like nothing he’d ever felt. He couldn’t get enough of it. He started jerking Bucky’s cock faster. 

“A little tighter,” Bucky said. Steve tightened his grip on Bucky’s cock and Bucky groaned against him as he moved down to Steve’s collarbone. “How you feelin’?” 

“6,” Steve said. 

“You close to comin’?” Bucky asked. Steve nodded frantically and the vibration in his ass dulled to a light rumble. Bucky also came off him and Steve whined pathetically at the loss. 

“This sucks,” he said. “What gave you this bright idea, anyway?” 

“Just thought it would be fun,” Bucky said with a smile. “You not having fun?” 

“No,” Steve said definitively. 

“Too bad,” Bucky said with a grin. He thrust his hips up, fucking into Steve’s fist, and moaned. “Because me? I’m having a blast.” 

Steve glared at him from out of the side of his eye. It was a terrible pun and the jerk didn’t even time it right. Steve just kept jerking him and Bucky just kept moaning his pleasure. 

“You know what I think?” Bucky asked. “I think you like this.” 

“Right,” Steve drawled. 

“Yup,” Bucky said. “I think you’re having fun, you just don’t wanna admit it.” 

“What gives you that idea?” Steve asked. 

“You’d have used your safeword if you really didn’t like it,” Bucky said. “And your number hasn’t been below 5 since we started.” 

Steve tried to frown, but it came out as a grin. “Anyone ever tell you that you bein’ smart is annoying sometimes?” 

“Once or twice,” Bucky replied with a grin. “Better that than one of those geniuses that doesn’t notice anything past the end of their nose.” 

Steve laughed at that. “You mean the kind that work at colleges?” 

Bucky laughed. “Yeah, that sort,” he said. Then he moaned as Steve’s hand twisted over the head of his cock. “Fuck, baby boy, I’m gonna come.” 

Steve tightened his grip and quickened his pace. At that moment, the vibrator turned back on and he moaned and arched against the couch. Bucky reached down and started tweaking one of Steve’s nipples. Steve bit his lip as he groaned. 

“Fuck,” Bucky moaned. 

He took Steve’s hand off him and knelt over him, straddling Steve’s hip before he put Steve’s hand back on his cock. Steve jerked him quickly, relishing the deep moans of pleasure that came from his lips. Bucky grunted and came with a low groan, his come shooting out onto Steve’s stomach. Steve worked Bucky’s cock through his orgasm until the last drop. 

The vibrator in Steve’s ass was going faster than ever. Bucky crawled back and took one of Steve’s nipples in one hand and his cock in the other. 

“God, so pretty like this,” Bucky said. “So pink and flushed and covered in come. Pretty as a painting.” 

“Please, Daddy,” Steve moaned. He writhed beneath Bucky’s hands. Bucky ignored him and wrapped his lips around Steve’s other nipple. He sucked and nipped on it and Steve wept with the effort of holding back his orgasm. “Daddy!” 

“Yeah, baby?” Bucky asked innocently. 

“Please let me come,” Steve begged. “Please, I need it! I need to come!” 

“You do?” Bucky asked. He looked up at him. “What are you gonna do about it?” 

Steve gulped. “Beg?” 

“Oh really?” Bucky asked with a grin. He paused his ministrations to look down at Steve expectantly. 

“Please, Daddy,” Steve whined. 

“Yes?” he asked. 

“Please let me come, Daddy,” Steve moaned. He bucked into Bucky’s hand. “I need it, Daddy, I need it. God, please. I’m gonna explode, I swear. Please, Daddy?” 

“I like it when you beg,” Bucky whispered. He bent down and fished his phone out of his pants on the floor. “10 minutes. When the alarm goes off, you can come. If you don’t come by the time it’s done, you’ll miss your chance. Got it?” 

Steve nodded frantically. Bucky tapped the phone and knelt down. Steve half shouted, half sobbed in pleasure as Bucky took his cock in his mouth and started sucking. He reached down and fisted a hand in Bucky’s hair and Bucky, the bastard, hummed around his length. 

Steve bit his lip again, trying not to come, because Christ, Bucky was fucking good with his mouth. His tongue swirled around the head of his cock every time he came up before swallowing Steve’s cock back down to the root. His hands roamed over Steve’s body, exploring and teasing and groping greedily. It was unlike anything Steve had ever experienced. He was both at Bucky’s mercy and the center of his attention. It was like heaven. 

The alarm went off and immediately, Steve relaxed his guard and came in Bucky’s mouth with a wrecked sob. His entire body was wracked with the force of his climax. He shook and convulsed and Bucky moaned around him as he swallowed down Steve’s come. It seemed to go on forever, and then suddenly, it was over. The vibration in Steve’s ass became too much and he grimaced.

“Buck,” he groaned in pain. A second later, the vibrating stopped and Steve sighed in relief. “God, I’ve never come so hard in my life.” 

Bucky chuckled. “I’ll take that as a good thing,” he replied. “Can you push the vibrator out so I can clean it off?” 

Steve complied and Bucky got up and walked off to the bathroom. He returned with a warm washcloth and started wiping Steve down. 

“So,” he said. “How did you like being edged like this?” 

Steve shrugged. “It was fine.” 

Bucky looked down at him and raised an eyebrow. “Can you be more specific?”

“Sorry,” Steve said. “It’s not my favorite thing in the world, but it was fun. Honestly, I think I prefer a straight up spanking, you know?” 

“What would you have wanted differently?” Bucky asked. 

“It was just… really intense,” Steve said. 

Bucky looked down and regarded him for a moment. Then he leaned down and kissed Steve on the cheek. 

“Sounds like you weren’t quite ready for a scene like this,” Bucky said. “Is that right?” 

“Maybe,” Steve replied. “I didn’t _not_ like it. It was just… a lot, you know?” 

“Yeah, I get that,” Bucky said. “I once had a sub who thought that he could handle a belt and didn’t use his safeword when he needed to. He dropped pretty heavily after that.” 

“Sounds rough,” Steve replied, thinking back on his own drop a couple weeks ago. “I’m sorry you had to deal with that.” 

“I don’t mind caring for a sub,” Bucky said. “I just don’t like knowing that I crossed a boundary. I ended our arrangement shortly after that.” 

Steve mulled over that. “Your arrangement?” Steve asked. “What do you mean?” 

“He was a friend at the time,” Bucky replied. “There was nothing sexual or romantic in our relationship.” 

“Oh,” Steve replied. He wasn’t really sure what to think of that. Bucky leaned down and draped an arm over Steve’s body as he pressed a sweet, chaste kiss to Steve’s cheek. 

“Hey,” he said. “I’m not doin’ nothin’ with anybody else, okay? We’re totally monogamous, just like we talked about.” 

Steve let go of a breath he didn’t know he was holding. “Thanks,” he said. Bucky kissed him again. 

“No problem,” he replied. He sat up. “We’re done for tonight. You wanna get dressed and watch somethin’ or do you wanna bath?” 

Steve looked at him. “I don’t think I need to regress, you know,” he said. Bucky just shrugged. 

“So? Who says that you need to only take a bath when you want to be little?” he asked. Steve laid his head on Bucky’s shoulder and thought for a bit. 

“Okay,” he said. “Can we use that stuff we used the first time, though? Not the kid stuff.” 

“Sure thing, baby,” Bucky said. He got up and helped Steve up. 

“Is this gonna happen every time I don’t tell you something important?” Steve asked. “You know, the spanking, the… intense sex, all that?” 

“Maybe not this exactly,” Bucky replied. “I enjoy impact play for its own sake, too. Next time I might just leave it at that, to be honest. But yes, if you withhold information that’s important from me, some kind of discipline is gonna happen.” 

“Okay,” Steve replied. “I had fun with the spanking. The rest…” 

“We can talk about it later,” Bucky replied. “For now, let’s just relax, okay?” 

Steve smiled and stood on his toes to kiss Bucky on the mouth. Bucky wrapped his arms around Steve and held him close. Steve hummed at the fond embrace. He hadn’t been so relaxed about his naked body with someone in… ever. It was nice. When they separated, Bucky laced their fingers together and led Steve up the stairs to the massive bathroom/spa. He let Bucky pamper him before leaning back against his chest and cuddling him in the bathtub. 

"Thanks, Buck," he murmured. 

"I've got you, Steve," Bucky replied, before kissing his forehead. Steve didn't sleep, but he relaxed contentedly with Bucky's body surrounding him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos give me life, y'all! <3


	17. Chapter 17

The fourth of July came as it always seemed to in America: with lots of celebration and fanfare and opinions about the state of the country and what it meant to be patriotic. Steve himself had been part of protests on the day in the past, usually against some form of corruption or something. 

Steve, as it happened, had his birthday off (whether because Mikhail had planned it that way or if it was just coincidence, it didn’t matter). It was nice to have his birthday off for once. Despite what he’d told Bucky, he didn’t hate his birthday. He just didn’t like a lot of celebration over it. 

The best part was sleeping in until 8. Being able to get a few more hours of sleep was great. As much as he loved working in the coffee shop, part of him was starting to get tired of the hours. Dealing with customers was hard enough without having to make their complicated orders and keep the line going, all while doing so after getting up in the wee hours of the morning. Not to mention that being on his feet all day was starting to kill his back. 

He would probably start looking for something else soon. Hell, even some kind of office job or something would be preferable. 

He’d think about that later, though. For now, he was about to see his ma. Between their schedules, they hadn’t been able to meet up. She always made an exception for his birthday, though. 

It took him 20 minutes to get to his ma’s apartment from his. While he was on his way there, he got a text from Bucky wishing him a happy birthday and it made him smile. People didn’t usually act that way about his not telling them when his birthday was coming up. They were surprised or shocked or amazed, but sad? Sad was different. 

He put it from his mind as he approached the door. He also turned his hearing aids off. His ma had gone out of her way to learn sign language when it became clear that his hearing was deteriorating and he was grateful for it every time they met. It meant that he didn’t have to listen to everything going on around him. Hearing was nice, but honestly, it was exhausting sometimes. 

She opened up a few seconds after he knocked on the door. He smiled at her. She was looking good for her middle age. She shared his slight build and golden hair. She’d also put on weight in recent years, as people tended to do as they got older. Sarah Rogers smiled warmly at him as they embraced. 

“ _Happy birthday_ ,” she signed when the parted. 

“ _Thanks, ma_ ,” he replied. His hands fell back into the familiar motions with practiced ease. “ _You look good_.” 

“ _Thank you_ ,” she signed. He had also inherited his transparent Irish complexion from her and it showed. “ _Come in, I just started working on lunch_.” 

“ _I can help you_ ,” Steve signed. 

“ _Don’t you even think about it_ ,” she replied. “ _It’s my boy’s birthday. Let an old woman dote on her son for a bit_.” 

Steve chuckled but didn’t say anything. He followed her to the kitchen and leaned against the counter so that he was there but enough out of the way that she could keep working undisturbed. She went about her business until lunch was in the oven and the two of them went to the living room. 

“ _So tell me about your life_ ,” she signed. “ _It’s been so long, what’s new?_ ” 

“ _Mostly the same_ ,” Steve replied. His hands trembled nervously as he continued, though. “ _Also… I have a new boyfriend_.” 

Her eyes lit up in excitement as she smiled. “ _Really?_ ” she signed. “ _What’s he like? What’s his name? Is he good to you? What does he do?_ ” 

“ _His name is Bucky_ ,” Steve replied with a shy smile. “ _He’s… he likes dancing and he took me to Coney Island last weekend. He won me a prize at a booth and everything._ ” 

“ _Aww, that’s sweet_ ,” she signed with a smile. 

“ _Yeah, he’s always telling me how he thinks I’m pretty and cute and everything_ ,” Steve replied. “ _He’s also a really smart guy. He’s got a doctorate and he’s an engineer at Stark Industries_.”

“ _Really?_ ” she asked, raising her eyebrows. “ _Impressive. At the very least, he has a steady job._ ” 

“ _He invented a metal prosthetic limb,_ ” he said. “ _It connects to your brain and it’s able to move and do everything a normal limb does_.” 

Her eyebrows climbed so high that he almost thought that they would climb into her scalp. 

“ _You’re dating Dr. James Barnes?_ ” she asked excitedly with both her hands and her voice. 

“ _Uh, yes?_ ” Steve replied. “ _Is he famous or something?_ ” 

“ _The doctors in the trauma ward have been talking about him non-stop recently_ ,” she signed. “ _Something about inventing a new treatment. I thought it was the usual medical doctor machismo, but that’s really amazing!_ ” 

“ _Yeah, I really love it_ ,” Steve signed. He was something at a loss knowing that his ma knew of his boyfriend, not to mention the fact that Bucky was famous in certain circles. It shouldn’t have surprised him, but it did. 

“ _Isn’t he somewhat older, though?_ ” she asked. 

“ _Uh, yeah, he’s 36_ ,” Steve signed with a sheepish smile. “ _It’s okay, though. He doesn’t push me into anything I don’t wanna do._ ” 

“ _Well, he seems to be a nice man from the sound of things_ ,” she signed. “ _How long have you been dating?_ ” 

“ _About a month or so_ ,” he replied. “ _I’m actually meeting him tomorrow since I’m spending the day with you._ ” 

She glared at him and he had all of 2 seconds to prepare himself. “ _Steven Grant Rogers, do you mean to tell me that you’re not even spending a little bit of your birthday with your boyfriend after all the nice things you said about him?_ ” 

Steve flailed his hands dumbly as he tried to think of a response. He had a feeling that he’d really stepped in it, now. The best part was that he’d been trying to meet his ma. The idea of introducing them now was… well, terrifying, to be honest. 

“ _We always spend my birthdays together_ ,” Steve protested. He saw her sigh visibly. 

“ _Steve, you’re my son and I love you, but Jesus, you need to do something for yourself for a change_ ,” she signed. “ _I’d love to meet him, but maybe after you two have been together a bit longer and you have a chance to think about it._ ” 

“ _So what are you saying?_ ” Steve asked. 

“ _That you should really tell him that you want to spend some time with him today_ ,” she signed with a look of exasperation. “ _Go see some damn fireworks for once, kid. It won’t kill you_.” 

Steve smiled sheepishly again but didn’t say anything against her. She was probably right, in all honesty. Not to mention the fact that he himself wanted to see Bucky, not least of which because Bucky was phenomenal in bed. He was also just really nice and sweet and Steve sort of wanted to spend all his time with Bucky. 

“ _Okay_ ,” he signed. “ _I will, I promise_.” 

“ _Really?_ ” she asked. “ _That’s it? Honey, you never want to go see fireworks on your birthday._ ” 

Steve blushed and shrugged. “ _Well, maybe it’ll be different this time?_ ” 

She smiled and leaned in to hug him. “ _I’m glad he makes you happy_ ,” she signed when they parted. “ _I like him better than that last one._ ” 

Steve grimaced. Brock had never met his ma. Steve had never wanted them to meet, mostly because she didn’t approve of him. Looking back, he should’ve listened to her, but then, nearly everyone he talked to had said the same thing about the guy. 

“ _I like him better, too_ ,” he replied. “ _He… he treats me well._ ” 

She reached out a hand and stroked it down his face. “ _I can tell_ ,” she said. “ _You seem happy._ ” 

“ _I am_ ,” Steve signed. “ _I really am_.” 

When she left to check on the food, he took out his phone to text Bucky. As always, the sight of his contact made his heart flutter, but this time, he looked around carefully to make sure his ma wasn’t nearby. He was only 100% sure that he would die of mortification if she found out what his relationship with Bucky was actually like. 

Steve: **Hey, I changed my mind about tonight. You wanna go see fireworks? Do they bother you?**

He hardly got the chance to put his phone away when it vibrated in his hand. He looked down and grinned as he saw Bucky’s reply. 

Daddy: **Hell yeah, I do! Love fireworks!**

Daddy: **I’ll pick you up at 7, we’ll grab dinner. Where you wanna go?**

Steve realized that he could literally ask Bucky to take him anywhere in town to see fireworks. To be honest… he really wanted to go back to Coney Island. It was honestly probably dumb because they just went a couple weeks ago, but Steve really wanted to see the fireworks on the beach. 

Steve: **Coney Island. I wanna see the fireworks on the beach.**

Daddy: **You got it, baby. You wanna come over afterwards?**

Steve grinned to himself.

Steve: **Depends. You gonna have fun with me or you gonna go to bed?**

Daddy: **When have I ever fallen asleep on you, brat?**

Steve: **Well, I don’t know. Don’t wanna keep you out past your bedtime.**

Daddy: **You’re workin’ your way up to a birthday spanking, baby boy.**

Steve: **You say that like it’s a bad thing, Daddy**

He added a couple thirst emojis and an eggplant for good measure. He chuckled to himself Honestly, if the spanking he got a few days ago was anything to go by, he could definitely do that more often. 

Daddy: **Be careful what you wish for, birthday boy**

Steve’s only reply was to send an emoji of a face sticking a tongue out. He put his phone away and chuckled to himself. He could smell the food coming out of the oven and he followed the it as his stomach rumbled.

* * *

Given that traffic in New York was a nightmare on a good day, Steve and Bucky ended up taking public transit to Coney Island. Steve knew, of course, what went on at Coney Island during the 4th of July. He knew about the hotdog eating contest and the fireworks and all the other events that went on that tourists came for. He’d grown up with the maddening crowds that appeared in New York around every holiday. 

However, Steve also knew that he’d never actually been to Coney Island during his birthday. It was always something that he’d wanted to do, but never got the chance. Going now, along with all the tourists and crowds, he didn’t care. 

Thankfully, Bucky didn’t care, either. He didn’t complain about how annoyingly touristy it was to go to one of the major attractions in Brooklyn during a holiday. At exactly 7:00, there was a knock on the door. Steve opened it eagerly and saw Bucky standing there. He was dressed in light clothes for the heat and the beach rather than the tight clothes that usually fit like a second skin. Steve still thought that he looked amazing.

“Hey, Buck!” he said as he stepped outside. “You look great!” 

Rather than answer like Steve was expecting, Bucky raised his hands and somewhat hesitantly signed “Happy birthday, Steve.” Steve’s eyes widened and his jaw dropped as he looked up at Bucky. 

“You… you can sign?” Steve asked. “Since when?!” 

Bucky still didn’t speak. “A few weeks,” he signed. “I wanted to surprise you.” 

Steve smiled and stepped into Bucky’s space. He stood on his tiptoes and kissed him. He couldn’t help but laugh as Bucky picked him up and swung him around a bit as though he were hardly any heavier than a man half his size. 

“Happy birthday, Steve,” Bucky said. 

“Thank you,” Steve replied. “How much have you learned?” 

Bucky stepped back and signed, “A little,” before he began to speak. “I’ve only had a few classes so far. I started taking them on Tuesday evenings a couple weeks after we started dating. I literally learned ‘Happy birthday’ yesterday.”

“Bucky, do you know how many people I know who have learned sign language because I’m deaf?” Steve asked. 

“A few?” Bucky asked. 

“My parents,” Steve replied. “I had friends who were deaf, but other than them, no one has gone out of their way to learn sign language.” 

“What happened to your friends?” Bucky asked. 

“Most of them moved,” Steve replied. “Went off to school and never came back. The city’s too expensive, I guess.” 

“Jeez,” Bucky said. “You know, Clint is deaf. He knows sign language. Actually, he’s been helping me learn.” 

Steve’s eyebrows widened. “Really?” he asked. “How did I not know? I didn’t see any hearing aids on him or anything!” 

“He’s got a cushy job,” Bucky replied. “It pays well and he got some real discrete hearing aids a while back.” 

“Damn, that sounds nice,” Steve replied. 

“I’m sure it is,” Bucky said. “That’s enough of that. Let’s get going before they give away our reservation.” 

“You got a reservation?” Steve asked with a wide smile. “But I literally just decided to do something today.”

“I had a feeling,” Bucky said with a grin. “Also, it turns out being friends with a famous billionaire is good for something every now and then.” 

Steve’s grin grew as they started walking towards the sidewalk. “You really got Tony fucking Stark to get you a reservation somewhere a day before July 4th?” 

“Don’t call him that in person, it’ll just make him smug,” Bucky replied. “His ego is big enough as it is.” 

“Don’t know when I’d ever meet him, but okay,” Steve said. “So where are we going? I assume if it was some fancy place you’d have asked me to dress up a bit more.” 

“Just a surf and turf place close to Coney Island,” Bucky replied. “Assuming that they don’t’ give it away.” 

“Well, stop sayin’ shit like that and maybe they won’t,” Steve said. The two of them kept walking and Steve swung their connected hands. He felt like he was walking on air the entire way.

* * *

Steve could hardly move in the crowd when they got to Coney Island, but he still didn’t care. Their fingers were still laced together and Bucky didn’t seem the least bit concerned about anything. It was definitely the busiest that Steve had ever seen the park, but that was to be expected. 

Unlike last time, though, Bucky went straight towards the games. He stopped in the middle of a group of stalls. 

“See anything you like?” he asked. 

“You got me a couple of these things last time, you know,” Steve replied. 

“Yeah, but it’s your birthday,” Bucky said. “I wanna get you somethin’.” 

“You learning my language is enough of a present for me,” Steve said. He stood on his toes to kiss Bucky on the cheek. 

“You’re sweet, doll,” Bucky said before he pressed another kiss to Steve’s lips. “But I still wanna get you somethin’.” 

Steve didn’t feel like he really needed anything, but he still started looking around. He spotted the booth that had the Pokémon from last time, but he didn’t want something like that. He spotted one that looked like it catered to couples. It had bears and cats and dogs and such. He pointed towards it and Bucky smiled. 

This one was different. It was a game where the goal was to use a baseball to knock down the wooden cylinders that were stacked. If someone could knock down all three stacks, you won a big prize. Bucky tossed a baseball in his right hand confidently. 

“Let me guess: you played baseball in high school,” Steve drawled. 

“Not quite,” Bucky replied. “My fourth sister, Amy, she was really into softball. I helped her practice from time to time.” 

He threw the ball and… it went wide. Steve hid a smile as the ball only hit one of the targets. It knocked a couple more down, but half of the rest were left standing. 

“What can I say? It’s been a while,” Bucky said. 

“I didn’t say nothin’,” Steve said. 

“You was thinking it, punk,” Bucky grumbled. 

“You should be nice to me,” Steve said with a grin. “It’s my birthday and everything.” 

“Yeah, yous a birthday punk,” Bucky said. He looked down at Steve with a smirk before he threw the next ball. He successfully knocked the rest of the pins down. The next throw got all the pins in the second set down and suddenly, Steve wasn’t sure that Bucky hadn’t botched the first throw on purpose. Steve chose a simple brown bear. 

“It’s cute,” he said. “I think I’ll call her Lola.” 

“Whatever you want, doll,” Bucky said. He signed “Happy birthday, Steve,” again and Steve grinned as he ducked his head. Bucky slung an arm over Steve's shoulders and pulled him close before kissing his hair. 

They walked hand in hand along the boardwalk. They talked about little things. Bucky talked about his sisters and what it was like to grow up in the middle of nowhere Indiana. Steve couldn’t imagine it. Apparently there was nothing but corn interrupted by the occasional cow to keep things interesting. 

“I think I joined the Marines just to get out of there,” Bucky said. “Small towns in the Midwest don’t come with a whole lotta opportunity, after all, unless you got a thing for corn.” 

“Hell, we live in New York and unless you got money there’s not a whole lot of opportunity unless you know someone who’s made it,” Steve replied. “You’re probably the only person I know who’s really made it and you know Tony Stark.” 

“I was lucky,” Bucky replied. “Anyway, your turn. Tell me something about yourself.” 

Steve hummed to himself and thought for a moment. “Have I told you about my friend Peggy?” 

“You’ve mentioned her,” Bucky replied. 

“Well, when we were, like, 16 or something, our mutual friend, Angie, was throwing a party while her folks were out of town,” Steve said. “It was one of those little things that actually turned out to be a little thing for once.” 

“Those happen?” Bucky asked with a grin. 

“When the stars are properly aligned, apparently,” Steve replied. “Anyway, Peggy’s parents are weirdly conservative for New Yorkers, so naturally she had the best recipes for pot brownies.” 

“Right,” Bucky said. 

“But she couldn’t make them at her place because if they found out they would’ve killed her,” Steve continued. “So she brings over all the stuff to my place while my mom was doing one of her long shifts.” 

“Like you do,” Bucky said. 

“Anyway, we decide to make them ahead of time and we take a nap,” Steve said. “Then, while we were sleeping, my mom comes home, sees that we made brownies and…” 

“She didn’t,” Bucky said, covering his face with a hand and his eyes wide with amusement and glee. 

“She ate two entire brownies before she knew,” Steve said. “Peggy and I had to drive her back to the hospital. She had just gotten her learner’s permit and everything and it was totally illegal.” 

“Less illegal than the pot brownies?” Bucky asked with a grin. 

“Yeah, yeah, I was a little hellion when I was 16, laugh it up,” Steve deadpanned. 

“Now I’m craving pot brownies,” Bucky mused. “Too bad Stark’s business does regular drug screenings.” 

“See, sometimes it helps to work at a small business,” Steve teased as he elbowed Bucky’s stomach. “Not that I can afford to buy weed, but still.” 

They kept walking along the boardwalk until they arrived at the edge. The sun was down, with just a little bit of light peeking over the horizon. They stood at the edge of the pier and Bucky hooked an arm around Steve’s shoulders. 

As the last vestiges of light faded from the sky, the crowd quieted, aside from some rowdy echoes from the beach. A moment later, a firework shot up into the sky with a shrill whistle and burst into a dazzling blue circle. Steve couldn’t help but smile as he laid his head on Bucky’s shoulder. 

As far as fireworks displays went, it was dazzling. Maybe it was because the view was unobstructed or because he was with Bucky, but the lights from the fireworks actually made him feel… happy. Every boom as the fireworks went off, every burst of light and color added to the feeling.

At some point, Bucky shifted so that he was hugging Steve from behind and resting his chin on the top of Steve’s head. Steve glanced up at him and squeezed a hand before he returned his attention to the fireworks. 

“See those fireworks, baby boy?” Bucky murmured in Steve’s ear. “Those are all for you.” 

“No they’re not,” Steve replied. 

“You callin’ me a liar?” Bucky asked. 

“Yup,” Steve replied. 

“Punk,” Bucky muttered. Still, he kissed the top of Steve’s hair. “Happy birthday, baby.” 

Steve turned and pulled Bucky down into a kiss. “Thanks, Daddy.” 

They turned back to the fireworks just as the finale began. As it did, Bucky’s arms tightened around him and he kissed Steve’s cheek again. It made Steve’s insides feel all gooey and warm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos give me life, y'all! <3


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW for abuse not from Bucky.

“Are you still looking for new work?” Peggy asked a few weeks later. 

Steve sighed as he nodded. It was nearly August and it was nearly unbearable to stay outside for any length of time. Commute was getting ridiculous. Even considering as early as his commute started, he often felt like he had to change his clothes by the time he arrived. To make matters worse, the apartment complex where Steve lived was having issues with the AC and the landlord was taking his dear sweet time fixing it. 

It was absolutely miserable. Steve took every opportunity to go out to someone else’s place so he could at least cool off. 

“Sort of,” he replied. “It’s been hard to find places. I sent out a few resumes and everything, but no one’s replied, yet.” 

“Well, you know what they say,” Peggy replied. “Finding work is as much about who you know as what you can do.” 

“Yeah, too bad the only people I know who’ve made it are you and Bucky,” Steve said. “Bucky’s not looking for a secretary and I wouldn’t wanna work for him anyway.” 

“Why not?” Peggy asked. 

“Angie!” Steve called over his shoulder. “Would you wanna work for Pegs?” 

“You kidding?” she asked as she walked in. She gave Peggy a peck on the cheek as she sat down with a pitcher of cucumber water. “I love you, British, but I sure as hell don’t wanna be around you _all_ the time.” 

“I’ll try not to be offended, darling,” she said. “It was rather a foolish question. I wouldn’t want to spend all my time around Angie, either.” 

“Hey!”

“Hush now.” 

“Anyway,” Steve interjected. “I’m still looking for work, if you know anyone who’s hiring.” 

“Ah, yes! I do,” Peggy cried. “My office is hiring a new receptionist. You’d do stuff like answer the phone, keep track of the calendar, make coffee, manage the day to day minutiae of the office for the lawyers.” 

“Really?” Steve asked as he raised his eyebrows. “That sounds exactly what I’m looking for, honestly.”

“Well, I’ll send you the details,” Peggy said. “Honestly, after our last receptionist, I’m fairly certain my boss would take anyone within reason.” 

“I’m glad you seem to think that I measure up to those expectations,” Steve drawled. Peggy slapped his shoulder playfully. 

“Shut up, you know what I mean,” she replied. “You could do it. You practically run a coffee shop that you’ll never actually be in charge of. Plus, I know for a fact that the pay is nearly double what you make there.” 

Steve’s eyes nearly fell out of his face. “So whose dick do I gotta suck for a job like that?” he asked. 

“No one’s but Bucky’s,” Peggy replied smugly. “The only possible downside is that you would have to keep everything you heard about the clients we have completely confidential.” 

“Obviously,” Steve said. “Do you think I could use Bucky as a reference?” 

“Well, as I’m not the one who will be interviewing potential hires, I wouldn’t tell anyone,” Peggy said. “It just depends on whether you’re okay with not disclosing that information from the outset. I will, of course, be happy to provide a reference for you.” 

“That’s great, thanks,” Steve replied. “How many do I need?” 

“Three,” she replied. 

“That leaves Mikhail, who would probably be happy to give me a reference,” Steve said. “I just gotta look through my old contacts or something for a prof or an old employer or something for the other one.” 

“I have complete faith in you,” Peggy said. 

“Someone has to,” Steve replied. “If I do get this job, it’d be nice to be able to not have to get up at 3 a.m. anymore.” 

“Steve, I work in fancy restaurants and I don’t blame ya,” Angie said. “Sometimes I wish I could do something else just so I wouldn’t have to come home around the same time you get up.” 

Steve raised a glass of cucumber water. “Here’s to solidarity,” he said. Angie chuckled as she raised her own glass to the toast. 

“So switching topics just a bit,” Peggy interjected. She got that look in her eye that meant Steve was about to be interrogated. “How are things with Bucky? You’ve been dating for, what, 2 months now?” 

Steve blushed. “Yeah, that sounds about right. Things are going really well,” he replied. 

“And?” Peggy asked. “You tell me everything about your relationships, you know I won’ t judge you.” 

“Well… we have a bit of a… kinky relationship,” Steve said. 

“You too?” Angie asked, glancing tellingly at Peggy. Steve’s jaw dropped. 

“You two are kinky?!” he demanded. “How did I not know this?”

“Come now, Steve,” Peggy said smugly. “You knew that I was interested in a kink relationship. How did you think we were so happy together?” 

“But you never do anything!” Steve said. Peggy raised an eyebrow and suddenly she looked remarkably like Bucky when Steve said something ridiculous or silly. 

“Neither of us are much into public play,” Peggy replied. 

“So… do you mind if I ask who’s the Dom and who’s the sub?” Steve asked. 

“We switch,” Peggy said. “But for the most part, I’m the Dom and Angie’s the sub. What about you and Bucky?” 

“He Doms and I sub exclusively,” Steve said. 

“Do you have names for each other?” Angie asked. Steve blushed fiercely and Angie cackled. “Oh God, now you have to tell us what you call each other!” 

Steve cleared his throat. “He calls me a few things,” he said. He paused and Angie and Peggy just raised their eyebrows expectantly. “Baby, doll, and baby boy.” 

“Aww, that’s sweet,” Angie said. “So what about you?”

Steve took a long sip of water. “Daddy, most of the time, or Sir,” Steve said. 

“Well, well, well, Steve Rogers has a daddy kink,” Peggy said with a grin. “This is somehow not surprising.” 

“Thanks?” Steve replied. “I think.” 

“You don’t have to tell us anything else,” Peggy said. “I wouldn’t blame you. We tend to prefer privacy ourselves.” 

“Thanks. It’s nice to talk to someone about it though,” Steve said. “Like, can you imagine talking about that to Sam? Or Wanda? Or literally anyone else we know?” 

Angie snickered. “Sam is great, but yeah, I doubt he’d be comfortable with that.” 

“If you ever want to talk about this stuff with someone who isn’t your boyfriend, feel free,” Peggy said gently. 

“I will, thanks,” Steve said. “Bucky has a couple friends that are into kinky stuff, but I haven’t really interacted with them much.” 

“Well, as long as you get along with his friends, that’s really all that matters,” Angie said. “As long as they’re not assholes or something from his fraternity days.” 

Steve laughed. “Yeah, Bucky and Brock are like night and day,” he said. “It’s kind of amazing, actually. I almost can’t believe that I found someone like Bucky.” 

“You deserve it, darling,” Peggy said. “You deserve to be happy.” 

Steve smiled at that thought. That little thought alone was enough to make him feel giddy.

* * *

A few days later, Steve got off work feeling very much that he wasn’t in the mood to go through his rather hot and muggy commute home. He was counting the days until fall, at this point, but it wouldn’t be until probably October for the weather to really change. He put that thought from his mind. 

Bucky had texted him earlier and said that his day was too busy for him to get coffee that morning, so Steve had decided to bring him some when he got off. He also had a couple slices of Mikhail’s marlenka, a Russian layered honey cake. He’d never visited Bucky at his job before, but how hard could it be? It was just Stark Industries, after all. He went up to the front desk and a receptionist glanced at him before smiling. 

“Hi, I was wondering if you could tell me where Bucky Barnes’ office is,” Steve said. “I brought him coffee.” 

“Who?” she asked. 

“He might go by Dr. James Barnes?” Steve replied. “He’s an engineer here. He has a metal arm that’s kinda hard to miss.”

“Oh, yes! Dr. Barnes, of course. Where are you delivering from?” she asked. “I’ll let him know that his order has arrived.” 

“Oh, I’m not delivering,” Steve said. “I’m his boyfriend. I just thought he might like some.” 

She glanced at him. “I see,” she said. “Well, unfortunately, I can’t just let you up. You need proper clearance.”

Steve clicked his tongue and sighed. He set the coffee and box down on the counter and took his phone out of his pocket and called Bucky. The phone rang twice before Bucky picked up. 

“Hey, Steve, you off work?” he asked. 

“Yeah, just got off,” Steve replied. “Hey, do you mind telling the receptionist on the bottom floor that I can come up to your office?”

There was a pause on the other end of the line. “You’re downstairs?” he asked. 

“Yeah,” Steve said. “I brought coffee and honey cake, but I can always leave and just eat it myself.” 

“Don’t you dare,” Bucky said. “I’ll call her and get you access, baby.” 

With that, he hung up and Steve chuckled to himself. A moment later, the receptionist’s phone started ringing. She picked it up. 

“Front desk,” she said. “Hello, Dr. Barnes. Yes. I’m not sure that will work.” She paused for a bit before she sighed. “I understand. Yes, sir. I’ll let him know.” 

She hung up and started typing away on her computer before she handed him a laminated pass on a lanyard. Steve grabbed it and put it around his neck. 

“This is your guest pass,” she said. “Tell the security guard that Dr. Barnes is expecting you and there should be no problems. Dr. Barnes’ office is on the 62nd floor. Take one of the elevators over there that service floors 50 and higher.” 

“Thanks!” Steve said. He turned towards the elevator and walked in. He had to pause before pushing the button. Stark Tower had 94 floors. _Jesus Christ_ , Steve thought. _Who needs this big a building, anyway? At least it’s not like Trump and there’s actual stuff going on here._

He pushed the button for Bucky’s floor. It was kinda cool, to be honest. Stark Tower was a big name in New York and Steve even considered looking for a job there somewhere. Where specifically, he had no idea, because all he really had was experience in customer service and an art degree, but it could happen. They might even be an alternative comparable to Peggy’s office’s job opening. 

He pushed those thoughts aside. He was about to see Bucky. He didn’t want to think about things like work or money. Maybe if he was lucky he could persuade Bucky to take a break or something. 

The elevator dinged as the door opened and Steve walked out. He looked around. There was a decently sized foyer leading to several offices. He started looking around to see if he could find Bucky’s. He heard footsteps behind him. 

“Can I help you?” came a familiar voice. Steve’s blood froze and his heart stopped. He knew that voice. He turned around. There was Brock fucking Rumlow in a security uniform with a slimy, smug smirk on his face. It turned Steve’s stomach. 

“I’m here for Dr. Barnes,” Steve said. 

“That’s it?” Brock asked. “No, ‘How are you?’ or ‘Fancy meeting you here,’ or ‘Hey, Brock, you look great! Sorry for locking you in the _fucking bathroom._ ’?” 

“Why would I say that?” Steve demanded. “I don’t give a fuck about how you’re doing and I’m not sorry.” 

Brock just huffed a laugh like Steve was being cute or amusing or something. Steve bristled at that. If there was one thing he hated, it was people thinking that being big and muscly made them better than everyone else. Brock in particular was always good at being condescending. 

“Maybe I could tell you where Dr. Barnes’ office is,” Brock said. He walked towards Steve and Steve backed up until he hit a wall. Brock crowded in on him. “If you decided to be nice to me.” 

“Fuck you,” Steve said. Brock scowled down at him and grabbed his jaw. Steve didn’t even think before he bit him. Brock hissed and backed away before he backhanded him. Steve managed to not stumble, but it was a close thing. If he could bring his hand to his face, he was almost sure he’d find blood. He glared up at Brock, who grabbed a fistful of his shirt. 

“Listen to me, you little shit,” Brock hissed. “Who do you think you are? Nothing, you were just some bitch that no one wanted!” 

“You’re wrong,” Steve growled. “The only one who didn’t want me was you!” 

“Come on, you don’t really think that,” Brock said. “I was that way because I was afraid you’d leave me, that’s all.” 

“Congratulations, you’re an idiot _and_ an asshole,” Steve replied. 

“Bitch,” Brock said, right before he hit Steve again. Steve stumbled but he didn’t fall down. Unfortunately, the coffee did fall to the floor. He didn’t have time to worry about it before Brock was raising his fist to punch him again. He braced himself as best he could. 

“HEY!” came a voice. Brock turned sharply and Steve followed his gaze. Bucky was storming towards them. 

“This guest was lost,” Brock said. He didn’t have time to say anything else before he was shielding his face from a punch from Bucky’s prosthetic. “Jesus Christ!” 

“Lost?! What the hell is wrong with you?!” Bucky demanded. “Is that how you help ‘lost’ people? By pushing them against a wall and hitting them?” 

He continued his assault and Brock was on the defensive the entire time. It was all Brock could do to keep himself from being pummeled into a bloody pulp. Steve just watched, frozen in place and trying to make sense of what was happening. Everything was happening so fast. Eventually, Bucky shoved Brock up against the wall with a snarl. 

“You can kiss your job here goodbye,” he growled. “If I ever see you near my boyfriend again, you’ll be sorry. Now get out.” 

He shoved Brock to the floor and turned to Steve. He took a moment to take in his appearance before he wrapped a gentle arm around Steve’s shoulders and rushed him inside. There was an office fridge just inside the initial area. Bucky got a couple paper towels and some ice and pressed it to Steve’s cheek. 

“Hold that there,” Bucky said. Steve nodded and pressed his hand against the makeshift ice packet. Bucky held up another and pressed it to his lower lip, which stung at the contact. Steve used his other hand to hold that one. “Are you okay?” 

Steve didn’t say anything. He looked down at his feet. The coffee he made had spilled and Steve’s other hand held the Styrofoam box with the marlenka, which might be squished a bit at this point. He fought to keep the shame under control, but it felt like a losing battle. Eventually, Bucky sighed and guided him to an office. He sat Steve down on a comfortable couch. 

“I’m sorry,” Steve said. 

“Baby, you got nothin’ to be sorry for,” Bucky said. “That piece of shit is to blame. I don’t know where he got off thinkin’ he could pull that shit, but he’s not doin’ it here ever again.” 

Steve sighed. “I don’t know, either,” he said. 

Bucky was quiet for a moment. The silence stretched until it became pregnant. Steve didn’t have to have a doctorate to know what the question on Bucky’s mind was. 

“I caught a bit of your conversation before I found you,” Bucky said. “Who… is he?” 

Steve’s lip trembled. “My ex,” he whispered. “The one I told you about.” 

“Oh, Steve,” Bucky said. “I’m sorry, I had no idea.” 

Steve felt tears in his eyes and hated himself for it. It felt like a defeat, like Brock had won somehow by making him actually cry over him. He sniffed and felt Bucky pull him close against his chest. He went willingly. Hot tears of shame at his own weakness fell silently from his eyes. 

“I’ve got you, I’m here,” Bucky murmured. 

“I hate him,” Steve sobbed. “God, I hate him so much.” 

“I know,” Bucky said. One of his hands trailed gently down Steve’s back. 

“God, why does he have to ruin everything?” Steve demanded. “I wanted to surprise you with coffee and cake and everything and he just… fucking ruined it!” 

“Aw, Stevie, don’t be sad,” Bucky said. “You can bring me coffee and cake some other time.” 

Steve growled. “I’m not sad, I’m pissed!” he said. “You’ve been so busy lately and I just thought… maybe…” 

Bucky kissed the top of his head. “I’m sorry your surprised was spoiled.” 

Steve just cried more. It was silly, but somehow the fact that his little surprise for Bucky was thwarted made his own sense of worth drop. He didn’t understand it, and he didn’t really have the headspace to think about it. He just… hated it. 

After a while, his emotions stabilized somewhat and he sat up, but stayed close to Bucky. Bucky sat up, too, and grabbed the box Steve brought with him. When he opened it, Steve was somewhat pleased to see that the cake was only slightly worse for wear. 

“So tell me about this,” Bucky said. Steve sniffed and took his ice packet from his mouth down. His lip was still split, but it had at least stopped bleeding so much. He resisted the urge to explore it with his tongue lest it start up again. 

“It’s marlenka,” Steve said. “Like a Russian layered honey cake. Mikhail has been making them a lot lately.” 

Bucky’s eyebrows rose. “That sounds delicious,” he said. “You got forks?” 

Steve shook his head and Bucky set the cake aside as he got up. Steve took the moment to really look around the office. It was… huge, really. It felt like it was as big as his apartment, which was totally unfair. It was also even more sparsely decorated than Bucky’s home, like someone really embraced the whole minimalism thing. There was some kind of plant in one corner of the room with broad leaves that looked like it was dying. The desk didn’t have much of anything on it aside from the computer and maybe a couple knickknacks. Aside from the pair of couches and the coffee table, there was no other furniture present. The other door was closed, but Steve assumed it was just a closet or something. 

The nice part about the office was the view. It was, frankly, stunning. Bucky was near the top of the tower, it seemed, and from this height, Steve had a gorgeous view of the city, looking down at the tops of other, lesser structures. In the back of his mind, Steve wanted to come back with a pencil and a sketchbook to capture the image. 

Bucky returned shortly with a fork. Steve placed the cake between them on the couch and waited for Bucky to take the first bite. Bucky stabbed one of the pieces and brought the fork to his mouth. He moaned as he tasted the cake and even though Steve didn’t make the cake, he felt a sense of pride that Bucky liked it. 

“God, what have I been doing?” Bucky asked. “I could be getting cake in the morning with my coffee.” 

Steve chuckled and leaned back on the couch. Bucky took another piece of cake, but instead of eating it, he held it in front of Steve’s face. Steve looked at him confusedly for a minute. 

“What are you doing?” he asked. 

“Taking care of you,” Bucky said. His face was soft and almost pleading. “Please, Steve. Let me do this for you.” 

Steve opened his mouth obediently and ate the piece of cake. Bucky was right, it was delicious. The sweetness from the honey filled his mouth and cake. He moaned softly at the taste. 

“Good boy,” Bucky murmured. Somehow the two simple words made him feel so happy. It felt like a ray of sunshine bursting through the dreary clouds, or a breath of fresh air clearing away dust and stale musk, the feeling of freshly cleaned laundry from the dryer. Steve nearly cried. 

Bucky held up another piece and Steve relinquished control to simply let Bucky feed him. They split the pieces of cake about evenly, but Bucky was always the one in control of who ate what. It felt… nice; simple, even. There was no expectation for anything more or any indication that it would lead to sex, and somehow that let Steve relax even more. Or it would have, anyway, if not for the lingering disappointment. 

“There you go,” Bucky murmured in his ear. “My good boy. Feeling better?” 

“Yeah,” Steve said. His voice belied the hint of sadness and dissatisfaction that he felt from the situation in general. Unfortunately, Bucky was an observant bastard and he reached out a hand to stroke Steve’s cheek. 

“What’s wrong?” he asked. 

“It’s nothing,” Steve replied. 

“You sure?” Bucky asked. “I’m not gonna be mad or anything, you know.” 

Steve grit his teeth together. It was dumb and he loved and hated it in equal measure. 

“Just stop, okay?” Steve said. He stood up and jerked his hand away when Bucky tried to grab it. “I think I’m just gonna go home.”

He took all of three steps away before he heard Bucky get up, too. “Steve!” he snapped. There wasn’t heat in it or anger. Steve turned around and looked at him. Bucky’s face was stern. “We’re not done talking about this.” 

Steve sighed. “Look, I’m just tired and I don’t feel like doing this right now,” he said. 

“I know you don’t,” Bucky said. “But we’re not done, and I’m not talking about this over the phone. When’s your next day off?” 

“Friday,” Steve drawled. “And the Saturday after that. So I’ll see you then, I guess.” 

“No,” Bucky said. He crossed the distance and looked down at Steve. Steve felt small under his gaze, but he made himself stand up straight. “You’ll come see me here and we’re gonna talk about it.” 

Steve rolled his eyes and Bucky reached up and took his chin in his hand. Steve glared at him and jerked out of his grip. 

“God, why are you being such a dick about this?” he demanded. 

“You know why,” Bucky said. 

“No, I don’t!” Steve said. “I’m pretty sure this entire day has gone to shit. I just wanna be left alone.” 

“Is that really what you want?” Bucky asked. 

“You don’t think so?” Steve demanded. 

“No, I don’t,” Bucky said. “I think you’re feeling insecure and pushing me away because you’re feeling sorry for yourself.” 

Before Steve could think, he shoved Bucky. He didn’t step back very far and when Steve went to leave, Bucky grabbed his wrist. His grip was strong and Steve tried to get free, but he couldn’t 

“Let go,” Steve said. 

“Not until you tell me what’s going on,” Bucky growled. “Let me help you.” 

“Fuck off,” Steve said. “I said I wanted to be alone. I don’t want to talk about it!” 

With that, he finally managed to get free of Bucky’s hold and stormed off towards the door to the office. 

“Steve, wait!” Bucky called after him. Steve ignored him and slammed the door behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos give me life, y'all!


	19. Chapter 19

Steve ignored the calls and texts that he got from Bucky over the next several hours. As soon as he got home, he slammed the door behind him because it was apparently one of those days. Sam was home, shockingly enough and he jumped when Steve entered their apartment. 

“What’s up with you?” Sam asked. His eyes reached Steve’s face and narrowed in concern. Steve hated it. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” he growled. “Just leave me alone, okay?” 

“Sure. What happened to you?” Sam asked. 

Steve groaned. “What usually happens?” he demanded. “Got into a fight.” 

Sam studied him for a moment before nodding carefully. “All right, if you say so,” he said. 

Steve nodded and stomped off to the room he and Sam shared. He couldn’t think about what happened. He didn’t want to think about what happened. He took his hearing aids out and his contacts and went about changing out of his work clothes. He caught a glance of himself in the mirror they kept in their room. His face looked terrible. His eye wouldn’t be purple, but the space just under his left eye would bruise. His lip would probably swell before it scabbed. 

He sighed and turned around to plug his phone in and throw on a pair of shorts and a white t-shirt before climbing into his bed. He rolled over and closed his eyes. Today was already too much and he was done dealing with anything and everything.

* * *

Steve woke up before his alarm. It was a bit disorienting. One moment he lay down for a rage nap, the next he was wide awake at around 1:30, 2 in the morning. If his hearing aids were in, he might have heard the sounds of Sam snoring. He was always glad that he couldn’t hear at night, because it meant that he didn’t have to hear what all his other roommates had always insisted was a sound similar to a chainsaw. 

Since he had nothing better to do, he grabbed his glasses and his phone and unlocked it. The first thing he noticed was a slew of texts and calls from Bucky. Steve didn’t really know how to feel about it. Out of curiosity, he started scrolling through them. 

Daddy: (3:02 p.m.) **Baby, come back. I’m sorry for getting upset.**

Daddy: (3:17 p.m.) **Steve, seriously, you’re starting to worry me. What’s going on?**

Daddy: (3:39 p.m.) **Okay, just let me know when you get home. I just wanna know that you’re okay.**

Daddy: (4:32 p.m.) **Dammit Steve, please answer your phone!**

Daddy: (5:15 p.m.) **Baby, please talk to me. I’m sorry for yelling at you.**

Daddy: (6:30 p.m.) **I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.**

There were a couple more along the same vein and honestly, Steve sort of felt a bit guilty about it. Maybe he shouldn’t have left like that. Maybe he should’ve stayed and talked about it. What would he say, though? He still didn’t fully understand why he had reacted the way he did, why he was upset. 

He put his phone down and rolled over. He felt weird. He was used to waking up when it was dark, but not this early. He had another hour or so before he had to get up and start getting ready for work. After a moment of thinking, he remembered that his next day off was in two days. He groaned at the thought. He didn’t feel like going. 

He sighed and took his glasses off before he rolled over again. If nothing else, he could get a few more moments of sleep before he got up. 2 a.m. was too early, even for him.

* * *

He had no idea how long he slept. All he knew was that he woke up to someone shaking him. His eyes flew open and he saw Sam standing over him. 

“Steve, good, you’re awake,” Sam said. “You gotta get up.” 

Panic lanced through him like a high speed rail. 

“What time is it?!” he demanded. 

“I just woke up,” Sam said. “It’s almost 8.” 

“Jesus!” Steve shouted. 

He bolted up out of bed and looked around for what was around him. He grabbed his glasses because he really didn’t have the time to mess around with contacts. Then he dashed to the discarded clothes he had from yesterday because he wasn’t even sure if he had a spare uniform that was clean. 

_What do I do?_ Steve thought. _Do I use cologne? Probably, I don’t have time to shower. Do I even have cologne? Sam has body spray, that’s close enough, right? Deodorant? Yeah, definitely. Brush teeth? Do I even have gum? Brush teeth. No time for food, I just have to go!_

“Steve,” Sam said, interrupting his entire thought process just as Steve started getting dressed. “Wanda picked up your shift.” 

Steve stared unblinkingly at Sam. “What?” 

“She got a call from her grandpa when you didn’t show up at your usual time and she took your shift,” Sam said. “It’s okay, relax.” 

Steve gave a great big sigh of relief and sat down on the bed. The wind in his sails left and he was suddenly very tired from having way too much sleep. This day was just weird and bizarre and all sorts of things and honestly, he had no idea what to make of it. He sighed again and looked up at Sam. 

“I guess I’m taking her evening shift, then?” he asked. 

“Stands to reason,” Sam replied. “You might want to talk to your boss about that, though.” 

Steve nodded and got up. He put his hearing aids in and wandered out to the living room, unsure of what to do with his day now that he had to work in the afternoon. It would probably involve coming back and going straight to bed, since he did have to work early in the morning tomorrow. Just the thought of that made him groan again. He had to find a new job, and soon. 

Out of equal parts curiosity and procrastination, he opened his email. It was filled with the usual clutter, promotions and deals and advertisements that he either wasn’t interested in or didn’t have the money for. However, at around 4:30 yesterday, he received an email from the law firm Peggy told him about. He opened it up. 

_Dear Steve Rogers,_  
_We are pleased to inform you that your application has been received and processed. We would like to invite you to come to our offices for an interview sometime in the next two weeks. Below is a list of available dates. Please reply at your earliest convenience. Please be advised that the interview process will likely take most of the day and you will talk with several persons on our staff regarding your role, responsibilities, and expectations regarding the position. Please ensure that you are capable of staying until the end of the day. Lunch will be provided._

_Sincerely,_

_Phil Coulson, Esq._

_Shield Law, Inc._

Steve blinked. He read and reread the email, then a third time just to make sure that he wasn’t crazy. It was entirely likely. Despite having learned about the job a few days ago and sending his resume out, he hadn’t expected such a prompt reply. Maybe Peggy had gotten them to expedite the process. Who knows?

He looked down and immediately recognized one of the dates as one of his days off next week. Before he could talk himself out of it, he replied to the email and offered that date for his gauntlet of interviews. He sent it before he could think twice about it, then collapsed on the bed beneath him. 

_I need a suit_ , he thought. _I can’t just show up dressed in a button down and slacks. I need an honest to God suit. Where do I even get one?_

He thought of Bucky. If anyone knew, Bucky would. Almost as soon as the thought crossed his mind, his stomach turned sour, like he’d opened a gallon of milk and discovered that it had gone very, very bad. He’d been a real dick yesterday. 

_I should probably talk to him_ , he thought. He groaned again. What if Bucky got tired and didn’t’ want to talk to him anymore? What if Bucky was really annoyed with him? Steve could hardly blame him. 

At that moment, his phone began to vibrate. Steve looked at the contact and his heart jumped when he saw Bucky’s name (or Steve’s name for him, anyway). He fought against the urge to ignore it, to just toss his phone aside or reject the call altogether. Finally, he answered the call. 

“Hey,” he said. 

“Baby, good, I was hoping to catch you during your break,” Bucky said. “How are you?” 

Steve swallowed. “I’ve… been better,” he said. Bucky sighed. 

“Yeah, I believe it,” Bucky said. “You feel like talkin’ about it?” 

“I thought you wanted to talk about it in person,” Steve said. 

“I do, but if you need to talk, we can do this,” Bucky replied. “If you’re not busy or anything. It’s probably busy right now at the shop.” 

“Probably,” Steve said. “I slept through my alarm.” 

“Shit, Steve, what are you doin’ talkin’ to me for?” Bucky demanded. “Shouldn’t you be getting to work?” 

“My roommate took my shift, apparently,” Steve said. He sighed. “I just… I just feel awful about it.” 

“Because you slept through your alarm?” Bucky asked. 

“I guess,” Steve said. “I don’t know. I just hate… feeling like I’m a burden.” 

There was a long, pregnant pause in the conversation. Steve just listened. He had a feeling that he couldn’t really place. It was like… shame or guilt, but he couldn’t tell which it was or if it was both. 

“You’re not a burden, Steve,” Bucky said. “Don’t ever think that, okay? You’re just stressed out.” 

Steve released a sigh of relief at the words. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I was a real jerk yesterday and you were just trying to help.” 

“It’s okay, baby,” Bucky said. “We can talk about it more on Friday, then all will be forgiven.” 

“I’m getting a spanking or something, aren’t I?” Steve asked. Bucky hummed and Steve could hear the sly grin in his voice. 

“Maybe,” he said. “We can keep it on the table, at any rate.” 

Steve’s breath caught. “A-Anything else?” 

“Depends,” Bucky said. “Anything specific you want to do this week end?” 

“I kinda wanna be little,” Steve said. “Just… It’s been so stressful these past few days between looking for a new job and then Brock and yesterday—”

“It’s okay, Steve,” Bucky said. “You can be little this weekend. I didn’t know you were looking for a new job.” 

“Yeah, I’m getting tired of getting up at 3 in the morning,” Steve said. “I actually had an email from a law firm looking for a receptionist.” 

“Really? Congrats,” Bucky said. “Which one?” 

“They’re called Shield Law, Inc.,” Steve said. “My friend Peggy is a lawyer there, she told me about it.” 

“Really? I know them,” Bucky said. “Natasha works there, too.” 

“She does? Damn, small world,” Steve replied. “I thought this city was supposed to have lots of people in it or something.” 

“Who knows?” Bucky replied. “But hey, if you need anything, let me know.” 

Steve breathed in. “I need a suit,” Steve said. “My interview is next Friday, think we can find a tailor or something?” 

“Absolutely,” Bucky said. “We can go tonight after you get off work if you want.” 

Steve smiled. “That sounds good,” he said. “Thanks, Buck.” 

“No problem, baby,” Bucky replied. “I want you to do somethin’ for me, though.” 

“What is it?” Steve asked. 

“I want you to take pictures of your injuries,” Bucky said. “Your piece of shit ex should get arrested for what he did to you.” 

Steve sighed. “Do I have to?” he asked. “I really don’t have the money to afford a lawyer.” 

“Yes, Steve. That’s an order,” Bucky said firmly. Steve could recognize his Dom voice when he used it and he sighed again. “I’ll cover the costs if it makes you feel better. I was involved, after all.” 

“That just means I owe you instead of the lawyer,” Steve protested. “How is that better?” 

“Because I’m not a lawyer and I don’t seriously expect you to pay me back?” Bucky replied. “Seriously, Steve, let me help you.” 

“I can get by fine on my own, Buck,” Steve said. Bucky sighed with exasperation.

“Yeah, but the thing is you don’t have to,” Bucky said. “Just let me do this for you, baby. Let me take care of you, please?”

Steve almost kept arguing but stopped when heard the gentle earnestness in Bucky’s voice. It wasn’t pity, like Steve hated. It was honest to God care and that, for some reason, was weird. There was probably some deep-seated psychological reason for that, but Steve didn’t want to think about it right now.

“Okay,” he said. “I’ll… take pics of my face and send them to you. Still feels a bit sore, anyway.”

“Take some aspirin when you’re done,” Bucky said. “I’ll get in touch with Nat and we can get the ball rolling on bringing that douchebag to justice.” 

“Wow, you really take this whole taking care of me thing seriously,” Steve teased. Bucky didn’t laugh, though. 

“Baby, I really do like takin’ care of you,” he said.

“And none of it is because he marked me up a bit?” Steve asked, still teasing. 

“You’re deflecting, but yeah, sure, I’ll admit that I’m feelin’ a bit territorial,” Bucky replied. “Don’t like that someone other than me hurt you like that.”

“I’m sorry, Daddy,” Steve said.

“Ain’t got nothin’ to be sorry for, baby boy,” Bucky said. “I gotta start gettin’ ready for work, now, but I’ll talk to ya later, okay?” 

“Okay,” Steve said. “Have fun.” 

“Oh, sure. Loads,” Bucky drawled. He hung up and Steve was left with nothing but silence. Well, that and the need to call into the coffee shop. If he really was working tonight, it would be better to know now than later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos give me life, y'all! <3


	20. Chapter 20

Friday took way too long to arrive. Steve spent most of the day sleeping, considering that he’d had to work back to back shifts and that was never fun. The bright side was that he’d gone out to get an actual suit from a guy Bucky knew and even though Steve was nervous about his upcoming interview, he was putting that aside to just focus on his weekend coming up.

He was excited. Seeing Bucky was the highlight of his week, yet no matter how often they saw each other, Steve never got tired of it. Bucky always seemed happy to see him, not just for his body (which was amazing) but because someone as smart and sexy and funny really did seem to love hanging out with someone as… simple as Steve. 

Steve loved it. He loved every minute of it. 

He packed light, mostly clothes and such. His toys were kept in his room at Bucky’s house. Steve kept more and more of his stuff there. Hell, he was even considering keeping some of his art supplies there for when he was there over the weekends. 

Since Bucky was working tonight, Steve was meeting him at his house. Apparently summer was generally a busy time for Bucky and he had to pull longer hours in order to meet deadlines. Steve understood. There were times when he had to work harder in order to get commissions done. 

He put that aside and zipped up his backpack full of spare clothes before slinging it on. He texted his roommates to let them know where he would be and walked out. The usual route to the closest bus stop was fairly normal, but halfway there, he felt the back of his neck prickle. His skin rose with goosebumps like he was being watched. On instinct, he turned around, scanning his surroundings. No one was there, or at least, no one who stood out. 

Steve shook himself off and kept walking. This was New York, after all. Weird stuff happened. Sometimes people did weird things. It didn’t usually mean anything. All the same, Steve walked just a little faster. 

He didn’t relax until he got on the bus and the feeling of being watched left him.

* * *

As soon as he knocked on the door, it opened. Bucky opened it with a smile on his face. Steve stepped into his space and stood on his tiptoes to kiss him. Bucky hummed as he returned it. 

“Hey, baby boy,” Bucky murmured. “How you doin’?” 

Steve hummed. “Been a long week, Daddy,” he groaned. “Just wanna forget about it, honestly.” 

“I get that,” Bucky said. He caressed Steve’s face with his metal hand. “And I think I can help with that. Why don’t you come in?” 

Steve stepped inside and tossed his bag aside. Bucky came up behind him and wrapped his arms around Steve’s body, resting them against the curve of his stomach. Steve leaned back against Bucky’s body and closed his eyes. His hands started roaming over his body, squeezing at the love handles and bits of soft flesh like a dragon had just returned to his treasure hoard. Steve moaned in pleasure. 

“Daddy,” he breathed. 

“Hush, baby,” Bucky murmured in his ear. “Let me enjoy you for a second.” 

Steve closed his eyes and relaxed in Bucky’s arms. His hands never went lower than his pelvis, but they teased, even so. Steve moaned as Bucky’s hands squeezed his pecs, which before, he’d thought of as silly in the way that they drooped. Bucky seemed to love them, though, and now even the way that Bucky referred to them as tits seemed hot to Steve. 

“Mmm, baby boy, been waiting all week to do this,” Bucky murmured against the shell of Steve’s ear. “Missed havin’ you like this. Fuck, life just got too busy.” 

“Mm, me too, Daddy,” Steve moaned. “Missed you so much.” 

“I got so many plans for you tonight, baby doll,” Bucky purred. He splayed his hands out over Steve’s stomach and pushed them down until they rested at his hips before sliding them back up. “Gonna have so much fun.” 

The words went straight to Steve’s dick, which was already straining against his pants. He gasped and arched against Bucky’s body. 

“More of that later, though,” Bucky said. He pulled away. “What do you want first? Discipline or to be little?” 

“Will you discipline me if I’m little?” Steve asked. 

“Of course, unless you ask me not to,” Bucky said with a grin. “Who knows? Might be fun to rough you up a bit when you’re little.” 

Steve moaned slightly. “That,” he said. “That sounds nice.” 

“You got some interesting ideas about what’s nice, doll,” Bucky murmured darkly. “But you got it. You need help getting into little space?” 

“Maybe a little,” Steve said. “It’s been a hell of a week.” 

Bucky kissed him gently, then took his hand and laced their fingers together. Steve followed him up to his room. It was exactly as he left it, with his Pokémon toys and bear sitting at the head of the bed. There was also a small a package on the foot of his bed. Steve lit up. 

“Daddy, did you get me a present?” Steve asked. Bucky brought their joined hands up to his lips and kissed Steve’s hand. 

“Yeah, baby,” he said. “I hope you like it. Consider it a late birthday present.” 

“Daddy, you didn’t have to do that,” Steve said even as a smile teased at his lips. He walked up to it even so and picked the package up. He tore the wrapping paper off, revealing a pair of Pikachu pajama pants that were smooth and soft and light. “Aw, I love them!” 

“Good,” Bucky said. “Go ahead and put them on. I wanna see you in them.” 

Steve quickly stripped out of his pants and pulled on his new pajamas. They fit like a charm. Steve tested the range of movement he had with the pants and found that he liked the way the material didn’t suffocate his legs. 

“Do you like them?” Bucky asked. 

“Yeah!” Steve replied. 

He got on the bed and hugged each of the plush stuffies he kept there. The stress he’d been building up in his neck and shoulders over the course of the past week slowly receded and in its place, he fell into the simple joy and security of being little. He sighed happily and gave a special squeeze to the Bulbasaur stuffie. 

He felt a hand on his head gently petting him and he looked up. Bucky smiled down at him and leaned down to kiss him. Steve giggled. 

“Daddy, your beard tickles,” he said. Bucky grinned mischievously. 

“Oh it does, does it?” he asked. He pushed Steve down playfully and hiked his shirt up before blowing a raspberry on his stomach. Steve shrieked and laughed at the feeling and wiggled away from him. 

“Daddy!” Steve protested with a giggle. “That tickles!” 

Bucky didn’t say anything as he chased Steve and gave him another one. Steve laughed again and slid a little further into little space. He stopped caring so much and just relaxed. He tried to tickle Bucky back, but he was annoyingly insensitive in any obvious parts of his body. 

“Daddy, you’re not ticklish,” he said with a pout. Bucky chuckled and shook his head. “It’s not fair.” 

“I’m sorry, baby boy,” Bucky said. “Daddy was never all that ticklish, even as a boy.” 

“That’s weird,” Steve said. He poked Bucky again, but there was still no reaction. 

“You wanna kiss to make you feel better?” Bucky asked. Steve nodded and Bucky pressed a kiss to his lips. Steve smiled against Bucky’s lips until he pulled away. “How old do you feel?” 

Steve thought for a moment before he simply shrugged. Bucky just smiled. 

“Do you feel like you’re a little or a middle?” Bucky asked. 

“Little,” Steve said. 

“Do you think you can stay little while you get disciplined?” Bucky asked. 

Steve nodded. Bucky pulled Steve’s pajama bottoms down, exposing his ass and thighs. Then he heard the sound of Bucky’s belt buckle. He looked as Bucky took his belt off and folded it in his hands. 

“Do you know why you’re being disciplined, Stevie?” he asked. Steve nodded.

“Because I was mean,” he said. “I was a bad boy and didn’t let Daddy take care of me.” 

“That’s right,” Bucky said. “And you worried me when you didn’t answer my calls or texts.” 

“I’m sorry, Daddy,” Steve said. 

“I know, Stevie,” Bucky said. He pet Steve’s hair a bit. “But I’m still gonna discipline you because I care about you. Ready?” 

Steve clutched his Bulbasaur and nodded. A moment later, Bucky’s belt cracked against Steve’s ass and he cried out. The pain was absolutely nothing like Bucky’s hand. It was sharp and it stung and it hurt like nothing Steve had ever felt in his life. He whimpered as Bucky set a steady rhythm, striking his ass repeatedly in the same spot. Steve clutched his toy as tears escaped him at the pain. 

After the 6th strike, Bucky switched things up. His next strike landed on Steve’s thighs and he yelled in pain. His cock was hard against the mattress beneath him, but he stayed as still as he could, even as he writhed in pain each time Bucky’s belt met his flesh. After the 10th strike, Bucky went back to Steve’s ass. Tears flowed freely down Steve’s face, staining the toy he held against him. It was both amazing and terrible at the same time and Steve couldn’t tell if he ever wanted it to stop. 

Finally, at the 15th strike Steve heard the belt fall to the floor. His ass and thighs burned with pain as Bucky’s hands roamed over them. He squeezed them and Steve whimpered into his stuffie. 

“Good boy,” Bucky murmured. Steve felt a gentle kiss to one of his ass cheeks. “You took that discipline so well, Stevie. You were a good boy for Daddy.” 

Steve sniffed. Bucky began to kiss and suck on the inside of Steve’s thigh. Between the stinging pain of the belt just moments ago, it made a unique combination of pain and pleasure that made Steve feel incredibly hot. He moaned and Bucky moved to the other thigh to suck a mark on that one as well. Steve rutted against the mattress involuntarily as he tried to push back against Bucky’s mouth. Unfortunately, Bucky stopped and draped himself over Steve’s body, kissing his neck and nipping at his ear. 

“You like that, baby boy?” Bucky murmured. “You like when your Daddy marks you up?”

Steve moaned. “Yes, Daddy.” 

“Good, because you’re _mine_ , baby boy,” Bucky growled softly into Steve’s ear. “I’m the only one who can make you feel this way, who gets to hurt you and take care of you and give you what you need. You’re _my_ baby boy and _I’m_ your Daddy.” 

“Yes, Daddy,” Steve moaned. Bucky sucked on Steve’s neck and Steve arched up into the touch. It was nice, but strange at the same time. “Daddy, did I hurt you?” 

Bucky paused. “Yeah, baby,” he breathed. “You did, but it’s okay, now. Daddy forgives you.” 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to,” Steve whimpered. 

“I know, baby,” Bucky said. “It’s okay, now. You took your spanking so well. You were such a good boy for Daddy.” 

Steve preened at the gentle praise. He slid a little bit. A warm feeling started to envelop him. It was probably Bucky, but Steve felt safe, good, and secure beneath him. 

“Maybe you should get a reward,” Bucky murmured. “For being so good.” 

Excitement raced through Steve’s body. He hummed in agreement and Bucky chuckled as he rolled off Steve’s body. He placed a kiss to Steve’s cheek sat up with his back resting against the headboard. Steve wiggled his hips as he pulled his pajama pants up, ignoring the sting from his spanking. Bucky gently guided Steve until he was sitting in Bucky’s lap with his head resting on a shoulder. 

“So, baby,” Bucky said. “What do you want for your reward?” 

Steve grinned. “I can have anything?” he asked. 

“We’ll see,” Bucky said. “I ain’t buyin’ you a car just cause your ass looks pretty.” 

Steve giggled. “Can’t drive, Daddy,” he said. “Don’t be silly.”

“Cause you’re too little to drive or cause you don’t gotta license?” 

“Yes,” Steve replied with a grin. Bucky laughed. 

“Okay, baby boy, so what do you want for your reward?” Bucky asked. 

Steve thought for a moment then grinned. He leaned in to whisper into Bucky’s ear and Bucky angled his head obligingly. 

“Can I have something to suck on, Daddy?” Steve asked. He felt Bucky’s breath hitch and he wiggled around a bit on Bucky’s lap. Bucky grinned against his neck. 

“Like a lollipop?” Bucky asked. Steve pulled back with a smile. 

“I like lollipops,” he said. “I like green apple flavored ones.” 

“I’m afraid I don’t got any lollipops, baby boy,” Bucky said. Steve pouted, even though it wasn’t what he was looking for and Bucky knew it. 

“Maybe you could give me something else?” Steve asked. Bucky’s eyes flashed with lust as he leaned forward and kissed Steve’s pouting mouth. He nipped at Steve’s lower lip and Steve whined softly at the feeling.

“I got somethin’ for ya, baby boy,” Bucky murmured. “Need ya to scoot down the bed a bit, though.” 

Steve obliged, situating himself between Bucky’s legs. He could see Bucky’s long, thick cock tenting his pants. His mouth went dry as Bucky’s hand wrapped around the shaft. 

“Got somethin’ real nice for ya, baby,” Bucky moaned. 

“Another present?” Steve asked. Bucky grinned. 

“Yeah, I know you’ll love it,” Bucky said. “Why don’t go ahead and… unwrap it?” 

Steve’s hands moved almost of their own accord. He unbuttoned Bucky’s pants and slowly pulled the zipper down before he pulled Bucky’s pants down to his knees. Bucky’s cock sprang out. Steve knelt before his Daddy. He briefly considered wrapping his lips around it, but… Bucky seemed to like this game and Steve honestly loved it, too. 

“What do I do?” Steve asked. He made his voice higher and more innocent. Bucky grinned, wide and dark and hungry. He pressed two fingers to Steve’s mouth. 

“First, you gotta open up,” he said. Steve obeyed and Bucky’s fingers went in towards the back of his mouth. Steve sucked on them, wrapping his tongue around them. “That’s it, Stevie. You’re gonna do it just like that, but with Daddy’s cock, okay?” 

Steve nodded around Bucky’s fingers and Bucky took them out. His hand went to the back of his head and guided him down until the member was in his face. Bucky slapped Steve’s face a couple times with his cock and the uncut head left a stream of pre-come across his cheek. 

“Will you help me, Daddy?” Steve asked. Bucky just guided his mouth down onto the head of his cock. He moaned as he pushed Steve’s head down until his cock reached the back of Steve’s mouth. It wasn’t even halfway, but Steve’s head began to feel a bit dizzy from the musky smell of Bucky’s crotch and the weight of his cock on his tongue. He hummed around the thick length inside him. 

“Fuck, baby boy,” Bucky moaned. “Shoulda done this a long ago. Your mouth feels so good on Daddy’s cock, baby.” 

Steve just moaned in agreement. Bucky didn’t move, yet, but Steve waited. Bucky taking control when they were together, setting the pace, doing what he wanted to Steve, using him for his pleasure, it was the most amazing thing Steve had ever felt. 

“How you doin’, Stevie?” Bucky asked. “You still little? Tap my leg once for yes and twice for no.” 

Steve tapped Bucky’s leg once. Bucky stroked a hand across his hair and smiled and Steve felt himself slide a little further into that feeling of safety and warmth. Bucky reached for a toy and handed it to Steve. Steve tucked it beneath his arm, like an anchor to keep him where he was. 

Bucky gripped his head firmly but gently. He began to roll his hips, thrusting his cock up shallowly into Steve’s mouth. Steve moaned and tightened his mouth around Bucky’s length. He could taste Bucky’s pre-come on his tongue, bitter like the coffee Steve loved. 

“That’s good, baby boy,” Bucky moaned. “God, your mouth was made to suck my cock.” 

Steve moaned again around the head. Each of Bucky’s thrusts went to the back of his throat. It was surprisingly easy to pick up sucking cock again. He relaxed and let muscle memory do the rest, even though Bucky was holding his head in place. He swirled his tongue around the head of Bucky’s cock. 

Bucky moaned and thrust up further. Steve was forced to swallow around the thick length. Bucky kept pushing until Steve’s face was in Bucky’s pubic hair. Bucky held him there and he choked on Bucky’s length. 

“Fuck yeah, baby boy,” Bucky groaned. He thrust up more into Steve’s mouth and Steve writhed and fought against it until Bucky pulled out. Steve took a few ragged breaths. Saliva bridged the gap between Steve’s mouth and Bucky’s cock. The length glistened with Steve’s saliva like spring dew. Steve mouthed at the head, licked up the length before 

“You like it, Daddy?” Steve asked. His voice was low and gravelly, like coffee grounds. “Am I a good boy for you, Daddy?” 

“Oh, yes, Stevie,” Bucky said. “Such a good little boy for me. Keep doin’ that, make Daddy happy.” 

Steve moaned and bent down to lap at Bucky’s balls. He savored the salty taste and thick scent of musk. Bucky reached down and started stroking Steve’s hair. Steve moaned as he took a ball into his mouth and rolled it around gently. Bucky moaned.

“Oh God, baby, so good at this,” Bucky moaned. “Gonna have you doin’ this for Daddy every day, now.” 

Steve moaned and licked up Bucky’s cock. “Please, Daddy,” he moaned. “Please, I love your lollipop, Daddy. Tastes real good.” 

“Mmm, such a good boy,” Bucky moaned. “I could keep you under my desk at work, bring my boy with me and just keep you under my desk with my cock in your mouth.” 

Steve moaned. He licked up Bucky’s cock and took the head in his mouth. Bucky began rolling his hips, thrusting his cock up into Steve’s mouth again. 

“Like it when I fuck your mouth, baby boy?” Bucky asked. Steve tapped his leg once and Bucky gave a low growl as he picked up the pace. “Good.” 

He placed his hands on Steve’s head again and resumed thrusting up into Steve’s mouth, well and truly fucking and using Steve’s mouth and tongue. Steve let go and sucked. It felt like heaven, being used like this, like Daddy knew what Steve needed and gave it to him. He moaned around Bucky’s cock as it hit the back of his throat. 

“Fuck, baby boy, I’m gonna come,” Bucky groaned. “Gonna come in your pretty mouth, make you mine, baby.” 

Steve tapped Bucky’s thigh once and moaned. Bucky’s hands tightened in his hair as his thrusts grew faster, went deeper. Steve swallowed around the length. Bucky grunted and groaned and Steve felt his cock pulse before Bucky came. The come filled Steve’s mouth and Steve moaned at the deliciously bitter taste. Bucky sighed and rolled his hips almost lazily and Steve sucked him dry. 

“Swallow it,” Bucky ordered. Steve looked up at him through his eyelashes. Bucky’s tone was low and sexy and washed over Steve like warm honey and dark chocolate. “Be a good boy, now.” 

Steve shivered and swallowed. Bucky hummed in approval and patted his lap. 

“Come on, baby. Come sit in Daddy’s lap,” Bucky said. Steve obeyed and sat with his head tucked into the crook of Bucky’s neck. His stuffie was in his arms and Steve closed his eyes as Bucky wrapped his arms around Steve’s body, feeling small and happy and content. 

“You were so good for me, baby boy,” Bucky murmured. His metal arm stroked gently down Steve’s body, over his chest and stomach. Then it went down further and brushed gently over Steve’s hard, neglected cock. “You didn’t touch yourself or anything. Just let me use that pretty mouth of yours.” 

“Like being your good boy, Daddy,” Steve mumbled. “Feels nice.” 

“I know,” Bucky murmured. “You want Daddy to make you come?”

Steve nodded and Bucky began rubbing Steve’s crotch through his pajama pants. Steve moaned softly. Bucky made no move to take Steve’s pajamas off, just continued rubbing him with his metal hand. 

“Gonna ruin your new pajamas, baby boy,” Bucky murmured before sucking a mark on Steve’s neck. “Gonna make a mess of you, my dirty little boy.” 

Steve arched into Bucky’s touch and whimpered. “C-Can I have a bath later?” he asked. 

He felt Bucky grin against his neck. “Maybe. Could make you go the rest of the night like this. Make you stay like this, your jammies all sticky and wet to remind you.” 

Steve gasped as Bucky pressed a little harder against Steve’s member. “R-Remind me of w-what, Daddy?” 

“That I’m the one who makes you feel this way,” Bucky whispered lowly into Steve’s ear. “That I decide what you need and when you get it. That I get to take care of you.” 

Steve released a strained moan. “Please,” he murmured. 

“Please what?” Bucky replied. “Tell Daddy what you need.” 

“N-Need you, Daddy,” Steve moaned. “Need you to make me feel good.” 

Bucky purred and sucked hard on Steve’s neck. “Don’t worry, gonna make you feel real good real soon.” 

Bucky rubbed at Steve’s cock harder and faster, chasing Steve towards his orgasm. Steve lay back and took it, accepted it. His body felt so good, light and alive, like a kite floating high in the spring wind. He could just float away if Bucky let him and it would be okay because Bucky could bring him back to where he belonged. 

At some point, he became somewhat aware of Bucky’s voice. He told Steve to come for him, so Steve did and it felt like utter bliss. Pleasure rolled through his body like waves and Steve released a breathy moan as he came. He relaxed into the easy, floaty feeling of safety and bliss. 

“Stevie,” Bucky’s voice came, breaking through the fog. “Come on, baby, you were so good. Time to come back now, okay?” 

Steve groaned in protest. It felt nice. He felt Bucky’s hands petting his body gently, the scruff of Bucky’s beard against his cheek, and the steady thump-thump of Bucky’s heartbeat. It was the nicest, most peaceful Steve had ever felt in his life. 

“Baby boy, come back,” Bucky continued. His voice echoed in Steve’s ears and he felt himself drift back to awareness. He felt warm and comfortable and nice against Bucky’s body. He stirred slightly as he came back to himself and Bucky hummed gently. “Think you went into subspace there for a bit, baby.” 

Steve shrugged and hummed back. “Felt nice,” he said. 

“I bet,” Bucky said with a smile. “I’m impressed you did it so soon. Most subs can’t unless they trust their Dom a lot. Takes a while, sometimes.” 

“Well that makes sense,” Steve murmured. “Trust you more than anyone.” 

Steve felt Bucky tilt his head up until their eyes met. Bucky’s eyes sparkled with quiet joy, like a quiet winter morning where snow covered the earth. He pressed a soft, tender kiss to Steve’s lips. 

“Thank you,” he said. Steve hummed into Bucky’s mouth. He didn’t say it, but the feelings were there. Bucky was it. It was weird and good and dumb and amazing and true. 2 and a half months into this and Steve just… knew. He kissed him back, like he could somehow pour those feelings straight into the touch and make Bucky just know. 

They lay there together in comfortable, companionable silence. The quiet moment stood still in the steady stream of time, with nothing moving but the shadows through the blinds. 

_ThisIf this is what heaven is like, I don’t ever want to leave._

* * *

Sunday came and Steve rose earlier than usual. He felt amazing. The high from his little jaunt into subspace was still there, in a residual sense. He stayed with Bucky the entire two days of his weekend with Bucky taking meticulous care of him and watching for any sign of drop. Steve liked it, especially since his first drop was decidedly less pleasant than this was. 

The water was actually warm for once and Steve took a moment to selfishly luxuriate in the simple comfort of warm water on his skin. It was rare enough except for the days when he was at Bucky’s house and his roommates wouldn’t wake up for several hours yet, so he didn’t feel too bad. 

He ate and dressed quickly, eager, for once, to get out the door. Bucky would come by the shop to check on him and also to get some work done at the office. Apparently, he’d fallen a bit behind due to Steve’s mishap last week. 

He fell into the usual routine as soon as he arrived. Mikhail made some cupcakes and muffins this morning, a very un-Russian decision on his part, but they were some of Steve’s favorite cupcakes in the world. He chose a vanilla cupcake with salted caramel frosting and had to make himself savor it. It was sweet and savory and all good things in his mouth at once. 

At 10:00 exactly, Bucky sauntered into the shop dressed more casually in jeans and a t-shirt. After all, if he was going to observe irregular office hours, he was sure as hell going to dress casually to do it. Steve thought he looked amazing. 

“Morning, doll,” Bucky said with a smile. “How you feelin’?”

“Great,” Steve said. “Been a busy morning so far, but the breakfast rush seems to have died down a bit. Same as always?” 

“You know what I love, baby,” Bucky replied. “And I’ll get one of these chocolate muffins, too.” 

“Yes, sir,” Steve said. He grinned to himself as he caught the subtle flash of desire in Bucky’s eyes. He turned around and very deliberately bent over to grab Bucky’s muffin. When he straightened himself, Bucky’s eyes were dark and Steve grinned triumphantly. 

“Remind me to talk to the manager later,” Bucky said. 

“Sure thing,” Steve said before he read off Bucky’s total. He went around the counter and Bucky leaned down to kiss him gently on the lips. Steve hummed happily until there was a cough. Steve kept himself from sighing as he stepped away and turned to face the new people. “Just one second, I’ll be right with you.” 

“You Steve Rogers?” one of them asked. Steve looked at him and realized that they were police officers. 

“Who’s askin’?” Bucky asked nonchalantly, but Steve heard a hint of wariness. 

“NYPD, Officer Rollins,” the policeman said. “You Dr. Barnes?” 

“Yes,” Bucky said. 

“You’re under arrest,” Officer Rollins said. 

Steve’s jaw dropped. “He’s fucking WHAT?!” 

“Steve Rogers,” the other one said. “You’re under arrest for the assault of Brock Rumlow.” 

Steve was speechless but he fought against the bigger, stronger man. He was slammed against the counter and the officer cinched the handcuffs around his wrists almost painfully. 

“Steve, Steve, listen to me,” Bucky growled. “Don’t fight, this is just some huge mistake.” 

“Yeah, pretty huge,” Steve agreed. 

“You have the right to remain silent,” the officer recited. “Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you. Do you understand the rights I have read to you?” 

“I understand that I’m gonna shove my foot up someone’s ass when this is done!” Steve growled. “What the fuck is going on?!”

“Steve, Steve, it’s okay,” Bucky said from a ways away. “I’m here, I’ll take care of it, don’t worry. I’m here, baby.” 

Steve was forced out of the store before he could reply and shoved into a police car. People stopped and stared and Steve flushed in shame. What the hell was going on?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops, my hand slipped. :P
> 
> Comments and kudos give me life, y'all! <3


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So just to clear up any confusion, both Steve and Bucky were arrested in the last chapter. Also, due to school being school and finals coming up, I will need to take a brief hiatus for the next couple weeks until the semester is over. The next chapter will be up May 14th.

The only thing that made being in the back of a police car even slightly bearable was the fact that Bucky was shoved in next to him shortly afterwards. It was definitely not the most comfortable situation, but at least Steve wasn’t alone. 

“This is fucking bullshit,” Steve muttered. 

“Don’t tell them anything,” Bucky replied. 

“I haven’t even done anything!” Steve protested. 

“I know, but if they’re arresting us, it means someone else is behind this,” Bucky murmured. “You know a lawyer?” 

Steve nodded. 

“Good. When we get to the station, don’t say anything until you get them in the room with you,” Bucky replied. “Don’t say anything else to them, no matter what they say.” 

“Sounds like you’ve done this before,” Steve said. Bucky just hummed and sat up straight. 

“Once or twice,” he replied. “I’ll tell you about it later. How are you feeling?” 

“Aside from the whole sitting in the back of a police car thing?” Steve asked. “I was feeling great.” 

Bucky hummed again. “If you feel like you’re dropping, let me know.” 

Steve nodded. Before he could say anything else, the police officers got in the front and started to drive off. Neither of them said anything else. The only thing Steve could think about was calling Peggy and getting her to sort this whole mess out. Bucky had Natasha, but Steve was never as glad that he knew Peggy as he was in that moment. The idea that he might actually need her like this had always been more of a theoretical concept, though. 

The ride was quiet and tense. Steve didn’t dare say anything while the police were with them. It was surprising enough that they had let Steve and Bucky be alone together for even the few minutes that it had happened. The officers chatted, but Steve couldn’t glean any useful information from them. It was just about a recent baseball game or something. 

It took a depressingly long amount of time to get to the station. It took a long time to get anywhere in New York, but something about being in the back of a police car made it worse. As soon as they arrived, the police took Bucky and Steve out of the car to separate rooms. 

Steve had to endure the humiliating process of being booked, of having his pictures and fingerprints taken alone. Then his possessions were taken and he was patted down. They also took blood for some reason and took a cheek swab for a DNA sample. And just like that, he was in the legal system. 

“I want to call my lawyer,” Steve said as soon as he was alone in the interrogation room. 

“Sure thing,” Rollins said. “But first, why don’t you tell me about why you assaulted Brock Rumlow?” 

It wasn’t a suggestion, and it took Steve actually, physically biting his tongue to not immediately shout at him about what had actually happened. 

“I’m not saying anything without my lawyer present,” Steve said. “I’ll take that phone call, now.” 

Rollins sighed as he got up. As soon as Steve was left alone, he slumped against the back of the chair. He realized that he didn’t know what Peggy’s office phone number was, so he called Angie, instead. He worried at his lip nervously until she picked up. 

“Hey, Steve, what’s up?” she asked sleepily. “Bit early for you to call me.” 

“Hey, Ange,” he said. “Listen, I need for you to call Peggy at her office for me.” 

There was a pregnant pause on the other end of the line. “Why?” she asked. Steve swallowed. 

“I’ve… been arrested,” he replied. “It’s bullshit, but I need Peggy to meet me and help me out.” 

“Oh my God,” Angie replied. “Are you okay?” 

Steve sighed. “I… I guess I’m fine,” he said. “I just… I’ll tell you later, okay? Right now I just need Peggy.” 

“You got it,” she said. “Hang in there, Steve.” 

“Sure,” he replied. “See ya later.” 

With that, his call ended and Steve was left to the many riveting wonders of his solitary interrogation room. The window was barred and the view wasn’t even much to look at. It was a shitty view of the street below them. The mirror in the room gleamed unhelpfully and Steve flipped it off just to feel some measure of satisfaction. 

It took about an hour or so for Peggy to arrive. As usual, she was dressed impeccably, her black suit sharp and perfectly tailored to her body. Her tie was the exact shade of her red lipstick and the heels that clicked against the floor. She hugged him as soon as she saw him. 

“How are you, darling?” she asked quietly. 

“Been better,” Steve admitted with a shrug. “Not really sure what’s going on, aside from having been arrested for apparently assaulting my ex.” 

“We’ll get to the bottom of this in no time, don’t you worry,” she said. “Now, tell me what happened.” 

Steve told her everything, from his arrival at the tower to his chance encounter with Brock on his way to see Bucky. He told her about the fight, and about the pictures that he sent to Bucky the next day. She gave a small smile when he mentioned Natasha. 

“Well, if Natasha is in possession of the pictures, we should be able to get you out fairly quickly,” she replied. “I will work on getting ahold of the surveillance tapes at Stark Industries and if that lump of pond scum has any brains in his head, he’ll drop the charges.” 

“Good,” Steve said with a smile. At that moment, the door opened again and Officer Rollins and his partner entered the room again. 

“Mr. Rogers, my name is Detective Rollins, this is my partner Officer Ward,” Rollins said. “We have some questions for you about the assault of Brock Rumlow.” 

“My client says that he did nothing of the sort,” Peggy declared. “It was Brock Rumlow who assaulted my client before Dr. Barnes intervened.” 

“We have evidence to suggest otherwise,” Rollins replied. 

“I would like to see this evidence,” Peggy said. 

“We have video surveillance showing that Dr. Barnes assaulted Mr. Rumlow with lethal force and that Mr. Rogers acted as an accessory,” Ward said. They brought in a TV and stuck a tape in. Sure enough, what showed up on screen revealed only Rumlow standing close before Bucky came around the corner and nailed him in the face with his metal fist. Steve cringed as the video showed Brock getting pummeled by Bucky. 

“This is fascinating,” Peggy said coolly. “But it doesn’t prove that my client was involved.” 

“Is that all?” Steve demanded. Peggy shot him a cold look as she shushed him. 

“Unless you have some substantial evidence to prove that my client did indeed participate in the alleged assault,” she continued. “You have no grounds on which to hold him.” 

Rollins and Ward were silent for a moment before Rollins nodded. 

“Fine, you’re free to go,” he said. Peggy stood and Steve just stood with her and followed her out of the room. 

“What about Bucky?” he asked quietly. 

“I don’t know,” Peggy replied. “Natasha can handle it, don’t worry. For now, let’s get you home.” 

Steve nodded and followed her out of the police station. He grabbed his personal effects at a desk. As soon as they were outside and on a metro heading to Brooklyn, Peggy tapped his shoulder. 

“Show me the pictures you sent to Bucky,” she said. Steve nodded and took out his phone. He flipped through the gallery and Peggy eyed the pictures with her lips pursed and her brow furrowed. 

“Send these to me,” she said. “If nothing else, having more than one person in possession of the evidence makes it less likely for something to happen to it.” 

“Is that likely?” Steve asked. 

“Something was off about that whole procedure,” she said. “I’m not taking any chances. I’ll do some digging of my own, though, to see what I can find out.” 

“What was off about it?” Steve asked. 

“The fact that they arrested you at all with such shoddy evidence,” she said. “I know the police aren’t exactly pillars of decency like they were made out to be back in the day, but that was just bizarre. They’re either incompetent, or there’s something else going on.” 

Steve frowned. “They struck me as too smooth to be idiots,” he said. 

“Exactly,” she replied. “Which means someone else must have wanted to use you as an example. Maybe Brock has friends in high places.” 

“Just what we need,” Steve muttered. Peggy squeezed his hand comfortingly. “Can we go back to your place? I don’t think I can handle my roommates right now.” 

“Of course,” she replied. “Angie will make sure you’re well taken care of.” 

It was something. Steve tried not to worry about Bucky. It was hard with not knowing what was going on, though. The feeling of feeling good overall was gone, now, but thankfully he didn’t feel like he was about to crash. 

“Bucky wanted me to tell him if I felt like I was dropping,” Steve said.

“Are you?” she asked. 

“No,” he replied. “It’s just… I figured I should let you know that it was a possibility.” 

Peggy nodded. “I’ll let Angie know,” she said. “You’re free to stay with us for as long as you like. I’ll keep you posted on what we find out.” 

“Thanks,” Steve said.

* * *

As soon as Peggy was gone, Angie got to work on lunch. The smell of comfort food cooking filled the apartment and despite the rough morning Steve had had, he found himself relaxing at the aroma of food. He was struck with the sense of déjà vu. More than a year and a half ago, when he’d broken up with Brock and ended up here with Angie making fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and green beans. 

He wasn’t going to complain. He just wished that Bucky was there with him. 

_Hope you’re okay_ , Buck, he thought.

* * *

Angie stayed with him until it was time for her to go to work later that evening. Steve decided to take a nap. He needed to work tomorrow, after all, and he didn’t have the luxury of being able to ask for more time off. He’d missed plenty recently and he needed to go. Besides, being busy was supposed to be good. 

Sam brought by some clothes and other essentials for him later on. Steve didn’t mention much, besides him being arrested. Sam, thankfully, respected his decision not to talk about it at the moment. Steve set himself up in the guest room and went to sleep. It was a rough night and he was plagued by dreams of Rumlow and Bucky being too far away. 

When his alarm went off early the next morning, Steve felt more tired than when he’d gone to bed. He groaned as he forced himself to sit up, though. He trudged to the bathroom, where he ran into Angie, who smiled sympathetically. 

“Evening,” she said. 

“Morning,” he replied. “Just getting back?” 

“Yup. It was a busy night,” she said. 

“That’s good,” Steve mumbled. “I need a busy day today.” 

“I believe it. I made you a plate of eggs and toast, it’s in the microwave,” she said. She hugged him before she got out of his way. “You hang in there today, okay?” 

Steve nodded and waved her off before he stepped into the hot shower. He sighed and stood beneath the steady stream, trying to think of anything but Bucky. His phone still had no messages from him, so Bucky must’ve either spent the night at the station or… Steve didn’t want to think about the alternative. 

He scrubbed the sleep from his eyes and washed himself quickly. His morning routine was both familiar and strange by being at Peggy and Angie’s apartment, but he didn’t think about it too much. By the time he was dressed and in the kitchen, he felt a little more like himself, even if he was looking forward to not having to get up this early soon.

* * *

By the time he took his break, Steve still had no word from Bucky. Bucky also didn’t show up for his usual morning latte. Steve didn’t think about it. He buckled down and worked harder. He cleaned every surface of the coffee shop, made each cup of coffee someone ordered. For once, he didn’t mind making the fancy, weirdly specific orders that people requested. It took more time, but it let him focus on something else. 

He even stayed late to help out when one of the other workers called in sick. Peter, Darcy, and Mikhail blessedly didn’t ask about what happened yesterday. He was glad for that. He was tired of talking about it already and the only thing he wanted to hear was someone tell him that Bucky had been released. 

By the time he got back to Peggy’s apartment, he was exhausted emotionally, mentally, and physically. He would have flopped down on the nearest couch, had it not been for the fact that Peggy was sitting at the kitchen table as he passed by. 

“Any news?” he asked. 

“There’s good news, bad news, and worse news,” she said. She passed him a beer which Steve accepted as he sat down with a groan. “Which do you want to hear first?” 

“Good news first,” Steve replied. 

“Bucky will be released soon,” she said. Steve sighed with relief. “Natasha discovered that there was a discrepancy in the videos at Stark and the one the police have. It’s sufficient enough to get him out since they don’t have enough proof to hold him.” 

“What’s the discrepancy?” Steve asked. 

“The fact that before the assault, there is nothing there at all,” Peggy said. “Someone edited the tapes to make it look like Bucky assaulted Rumlow.” 

“Fuck,” Steve replied. He frowned. “Is that the bad news?” 

“No,” she replied. She took a drink of her beer and set it aside. “The bad news is that we found out who Rumlow’s friends are.” 

“And?” Steve asked. 

“His stepfather is Alexander Pierce,” she said. Steve’s eyebrows shot up. 

“ _Mayor_ Alexander Pierce?!” he demanded. “His stepfather is the fucking mayor?” 

“Apparently,” she said. “And apparently he’s willing to put pressure on the police on his stepson’s behalf.” 

“Fuck,” Steve replied. “You think you know a guy.” 

“Indeed,” Peggy said. “It means that we’re probably going up against the mayoral office for this case, if they don’t drop the charges. Pierce is rich, too, so he has lots of good lawyers.” 

“Great,” Steve said. “What’s the worse news?” 

Peggy grimaced. “Pierce… has connections in the military lobby,” she said. “Apparently, they’re none too pleased to hear about Bucky’s work developing cybernetic prosthetic limbs that can function as regular limbs.” 

“Why not?” Steve asked. “That’s a good thing, right? Soldiers can receive arms or legs if they were wounded in battle. Wouldn’t they be pleased?” 

“Perhaps, if Bucky had done the research through the military rather than a civilian organization,” she replied. “However, given his military training and the apparent enhancements that come with the prosthetic, the military is not pleased. There are rumors that they’ll sue Stark Industries.” 

Steve’s heart stopped. “What?!” 

Peggy nodded. “They may try to reach an agreement with Stark outside of the courts,” she said. “But… if they can’t it is likely that they will try to take the research.” 

“They can’t do that!” Steve declared. Peggy shrugged and rubbed at her temples. 

“It’s the military, Steve,” she said. “They have more money and resources than anyone else in the government. The good news is that Stark and Bucky seem to get along, so I doubt that it would just be Bucky against the military on this one.” 

Steve groaned and downed the rest of his beer in one go. 

“I don’t care,” he said. “I don’t care if Bucky had only one arm. I just… as long as he’s okay, that’s the only thing that matters.” 

Peggy smiled sympathetically. “Of course,” she said. “He’s lucky to have you.” 

“When is he getting out?” Steve asked. 

“Natasha should be getting him out tonight,” Peggy said. “I told her to bring him here when he’s released.” 

Something in Steve relaxed at that bit of news. “Thank you,” he sighed. 

“Of course,” she said. She downed the rest of her drink. “Now, can I get you anything else? It’s been a hell of a couple days, if you need anything stronger.” 

“Please tell me you’ve got some whiskey,” Steve said. 

“Who do you take me for?” she asked. “A barbarian?” 

She got up and went to the liquor cabinet and took out a bottle of top shelf whiskey before pouring them each a glass. They toasted and knocked back the first glass. Steve relished the burn in his throat and the warm taste. Peggy poured them each a second, which they sipped more carefully. 

“Next time I see Brock,” Steve said. “I hope it’s right before he steps in front of a bus.” 

“Hear, hear,” Peggy declared. “And his stepfather, too.” 

“God, how did I never know?” Steve asked. “You’d think someone like Brock would mention having a dad who was the mayor!” 

“I don’t know,” she said. “But he _is_ a Republican. Maybe Brock is of similar persuasion.” 

“Gross,” Steve replied. “If that’s true, that means I slept with a Republican.” 

“Gross,” Peggy agreed. 

They chatted and ranted about various subjects for a few hours after that. By the time someone rang the buzzer, Steve was more than a little tipsy and Peggy still seemed to be on her second glass. Peggy seemed right as rain as she buzzed whoever it was in. A few seconds later, the door opened and Steve heard Bucky’s voice. He got up and ran to the door and threw himself into Bucky’s arms. Bucky caught him with a grunt. 

“Hey, baby, I missed you, too,” he said, wrapping his arms around Steve’s body. Steve buried his face in Bucky’s body and breathed in his scent. It was a little stale from being in a police station for two days, but it was still comforting. 

“Missed you, Daddy,” he murmured. Bucky squeezed a little tighter. 

“I know, baby,” Bucky said. Steve giggled before he sniffed, the emotions in his chest vying for control and release. He swayed a bit, but still held onto Bucky. “You been drinking?”

“Uh-huh,” Steve said He looked up at Bucky and pouted. “You haven’t kissed me yet.”

“You’re right, I’m sorry,” Bucky said with an amused chuckle. He pressed a kiss to Steve’s lips and Steve smiled. “Better?” 

Steve nodded. 

“How much have you had to drink?” Bucky asked. Steve frowned and thought for a minute. There was the beer he’d had when he got back, then the first glass of whiskey, then the second, and he’d had a couple more after that. 

“5?” he replied. Bucky looked up. 

“He’s had enough that he should probably wait a bit before going out,” Peggy said. “Why don’t you come in? My girlfriend is off tonight, she’ll make us something.” 

“I don’t want to impose,” Bucky said. 

“Daddy, come on,” Steve said, pulling Bucky into the apartment. Steve pulled him into the living room and sat down on the couch. After he tripped on the rug, anyway. Bucky caught him, though. 

“I guess I’d better stick around,” he said. “We’re goin’ to my place when you’re fit to leave, though. I need to change outta these and take a nice, long shower.” 

“Of course,” Peggy replied. Steve ignored them and laid his head on Bucky’s chest. Bucky wrapped his metal arm around Steve’s body and held him close. They were silent for a moment before Steve sighed. 

“I’m sorry,” he said. 

“Watcha talkin’ about, baby?” Bucky asked. There was a note of tiredness and exasperation in his voice and Steve sniffed. 

“It’s my fault,” Steve said. “It’s my fault we were arrested.” 

“Baby, the only person who got me arrested is that piece of shit of an ex you have,” Bucky replied firmly. “Now listen, we’ll talk about this later, but right now, I just wanna take care of you. Haven’t seen my baby boy since yesterday morning, wanna make sure you’re okay.” 

Steve sniffed and nodded. Bucky pressed another chaste kiss to his lips before he leaned back on the couch. Steve closed his eyes and soon, the sound of Bucky’s soft snoring lulled him to sleep, the exhaustion from the past few days proving too much to resist any longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos give me life, y'all! <3


	22. Chapter 22

The downside to sleeping in Peggy’s spare room was that it was a queen size bed and there was less room to stretch out. The plus side to sleeping in Peggy’s spare room was that it meant that Steve was nearly always touching Bucky’s body. It was comforting, in a way. Bucky kept an arm around Steve’s body. Steve rolled over and pressed his face to the crook in Bucky’s neck. He was less stressed out today, but he was still a bit out of sorts. 

He remembered a little bit of last night after Bucky came back. Bucky made him drink water after he got there, which Steve hated at the time, but he was grudgingly willing to admit that he appreciated not having a hangover. 

Especially when the bed started shaking as Steve’s alarm went off. He groaned and rolled over to turn it off. Bucky grunted in his sleep. 

“Wha’ wuzzat?”

“My alarm,” Steve whispered. “Go back to sleep, I gotta get ready for work.” 

“M’kay, baby,” Bucky murmured. He rolled over and before long, he was snoring softly. Steve smiled to himself as he got his phone and turned on the flashlight so he could get some clothes together. 

He’d have to go home after work. He was both out of clothes and missed sleeping in his own bed. As nice as Peggy’s bed was, he really did appreciate not having to sleep in it. If he could somehow find a place to stay where he could have his own room and not have it come with some astronomical rent that would be amazing. 

His morning reverie was interrupted by the thought that it was Wednesday, which meant that his interview at Shield Law, Inc. was in just two days. He was gripped by a mild panic. This week had hardly been a restful one, and now he was about to interview for a job at a law firm that would very likely be involved in his and Bucky’s case. 

_Will that make a difference with getting the job?_ Steve wondered. Was it unethical to hire a client, even if the charges were probably going to get dropped? He’d have to ask Peggy. Since she hadn’t mentioned anything yet, he assumed that it was going to be fine. 

Well, he hoped so, anyway. There were other jobs out there, but this one was the best and it would let him have an actual, definitive schedule and not have to wait to make plans that were more than a couple weeks out. There was also the bit where he wouldn’t have to get up at 3 a.m. every time he had to get ready for work, too, which was amazing. 

He pushed thoughts of that job to the side, for now. He could think about it later, once he was awake and didn’t have work to occupy his thoughts.

* * *

Bucky awoke on his own in the queen size bed as his loud, obnoxious alarm went off. It was unfortunately early, but seeing as he had to go home and get fresh clothes before he went off to work today, he didn’t have much choice. He sure as hell wasn’t showing up to Stark Industries in the same clothes he’d worn when he got arrested. 

There were a limited number of reasons he’d allow for getting up at 7:30 in the morning. Vanity was definitely one of them. The only other reason on the list at the moment was Steve being awake and horny. Bucky could always be persuaded on that. 

After a couple minutes of his alarm going off, he groaned and rolled over to switch it off. He thought briefly about going back to sleep for five more minutes, but he was awake now, and without Steve’s warm, soft body with him, it didn’t really have as much appeal. Besides, between being arrested and having to get up early to go to work like always, Steve was probably having a rough week. And he still had that interview in a couple days. 

_I should do something for him_ , Bucky thought. Maybe not a surprise. One huge surprise was enough for this week, but he could still find something to do for his boy. Unfortunately, his brain didn’t work before he had coffee, so nothing sprang to mind. He groaned and rolled out of bed as his alarm started going off again. 

_I need a vacation_ , he thought. _When was the last time that happened?_

Too long. Not in a couple years, honestly. 

_There’s a thought_ , Bucky thought. He and Steve, going on a vacation somewhere private and intimate, nothing but them and whatever they wanted to do for as long as they had time to do it. Where would they go? A beach? A cabin in the woods? A tropical island? Hiking? Camping?

The idea had taken root, but he would have to wait a bit before he fielded the question. Life had been busy so far and Steve would probably want as few things to worry about as possible. Planning vacations could be as stressful as the needing the vacation in the first place. Maybe he could start small, get them massages somewhere or something. 

He put his clothes on and made the bed before he walked out to find Steve’s friend, Peggy, sitting at her kitchen table with a large mug of tea in her hands. When he approached, she pushed a cup in his direction. 

“Thanks, but I’m not really a tea kinda guy,” he said. 

“I am aware,” Peggy replied. “Steve told me how you take your coffee. A bit sweet for my tastes, but I’m not one to judge.” 

Bucky looked down and picked the mug up. He sighed as he took a sip and felt revitalized just by consuming that small bit of coffee. He sat down and took a longer sip before setting the mug down. 

“Thanks for letting me crash for the night,” he said. “I really appreciate it.” 

“Of course,” Peggy said. “Truth be told, I was curious about what you would be like.” 

“You mean, you wanted to know the kind of person Steve was dating,” he replied. 

“Tomato, tomahto,” she said. “I’m pleased to report that my initial impression seems quite favorable.” 

“Compared to the last one?” Bucky asked. 

“There is no comparison,” she said firmly. “Especially with what he’s pulling now.” 

Bucky growled and took another sip of coffee. He clenched his metal hand into a fist at the thought of that lowlife. Thank God Steve left that asshole. He chugged the rest of his coffee and stood up. 

“Well, I hate to run out on you, but I need to get back to my place and get ready for work,” Bucky said. “Where do you want me to put this?” 

“I’ll take it,” she said. “I’ll let Natasha fill you in on whatever you need to know.” 

“Have you heard anything?” he asked. 

“Not anything you don’t already know, I’m afraid,” she replied. “I wish I knew more.” 

“Great,” Bucky said. “Well, thanks again.” 

“Don’t be a stranger,” she called after him as he left.

* * *

Bucky didn’t end up having time to stop by Steve’s coffee shop to see him before work. There was, apparently, a meeting to be held between his team, Tony, and Pepper. He wasn’t sure whether to be worried or not. It was entirely possible that they knew about the lawsuit already and… everything else. Tony was a friend, though, and so Bucky wasn’t worried about his job, but about what it would mean to drag his friends and coworkers into this kind of debacle. 

He stood in the elevator and practiced some deep breathing exercises to keep his anxiety down. He felt better than he had in the past couple days, but he was still shaken from what had happened. Everything had gone to shit really quickly. It was hard not to be anxious about it all. 

The elevator dinged and he stepped out onto Pepper and Tony’s executive floor. He walked into the designated meeting room, with lots of glass windows and a white table with some type of hard plastic with a smooth top in Tony’s preferred modern style. Everyone else was already sitting there. Helen and Shuri looked pensive, but Helen hid it well. It probably didn’t help that Stark Industries’ lawyers were on the other side of the table. Matt Murdock and… some guy named Foggy. Bucky liked them well enough, but he wished this particular meeting was under better circumstances. 

“Heard you’ve been busy, Buckaroo,” Tony said as Bucky crossed the room to sit with his colleagues. “Made a bit of a mess, so we hear.” 

“I reported that incident,” Bucky said. “Rumlow was assaulting a guest and I intervened.” 

“Relax, Bucky, we’re not that concerned about what happened with a former security guard,” Pepper said with a subtle, stern glance at Tony. At another time, Bucky would’ve admired the way she could get her sub to shut up with an inconspicuous glance. “What concerns us is the other suit, the one that concerns Stark Industries as a company.”

Bucky swallowed. 

“Generally speaking, when the military comes to a tech company about making military equipment, it’s something they do beforehand,” Tony said, leaning back in his chair. “It’s bullshit, if you ask me.” 

“Thank you, Tony,” Pepper said. “What do you know about this, Bucky?” 

“From what I understand,” Bucky replied. “The military thinks that because I have combat training and because the prosthetic is capable of movement, they’re claiming that it’s military tech and they want us to turn over our research, designs, and the arm itself.” 

“That is the gist of it, yes,” Murdock said. 

“It’s ridiculous,” Shuri declared. “Everything we have made with this technology is meant to make people’s lives better.” 

“It’s not exactly surprising,” Helen countered. “The military likely sees this as an opportunity to get their wounded soldiers back in the field. All they’ll need is about a year of physical therapy.”

“With military recruitment as down as it is, they’re probably salivating over the chance to not have to discharge wounded soldiers,” Bucky said. He ignored the chill in his spine at the thought of someone like him being made to go back to war because of a prosthetic like his. 

“Needless to say,” Murdock continued. “Stark Industries feels the same as you on this subject.” 

“You’re willing to go up against the military?” Bucky asked. “Seriously?” 

“Not saying it’ll be easy,” Tony replied. 

“An understatement,” Foggy muttered. 

“But I haven’t provided anything to the military in years,” Tony continued. “Kinda caused a bit of a stir at the time, like most bad breakups. I never get any Christmas cards from them anymore, it’s very sad.” 

“The point is,” Pepper interjected. “That since we don’t do business for the military, we don’t feel inclined to hand over anything that we have.” 

“It goes without saying that we would like you to keep all your research under the tightest security during this case,” Murdock said. 

“Of course,” Shuri replied. She sounded almost insulted. Bucky chuckled. She kept a tight lid on the information and designs she had. It made sense, now.

“How do you plan to proceed on this?” Bucky asked. 

“We plan to argue that since the arm is connected to your body and was designed with you specifically in mind, that the arm is protected under bodily autonomy,” Foggy said. 

“If the assault charges are dropped or if the case is proven that you were not the one to instigate the fight, it will help our case,” Murdock continued. “I don’t believe there will be any issues, though, considering the security footage was tampered with.” 

Bucky huffed. “Small mercies.” 

“What is your relation to the other man who got arrested, anyway?” Foggy asked. 

“He’s my boyfriend,” Bucky replied. “Rumlow is his ex.” 

“Ah, young love,” Tony said. Bucky glared at him and rolled his eyes in amusement. 

“Well, do keep us posted with how that case goes,” Pepper said. “I’m sure Murdock and Nelson will hear about it through professional consultation.” 

“Most likely,” Foggy said. “Could be that we’ll hear about it on the news, considering the mayor’s stepson is involved.” 

“Don’t remind me,” Bucky groaned. 

“It’s also worth noting that Mayor Pierce was a former military lobbyist before he went into politics,” Murdock added. “He may very well be the one who tipped the military about your arm and its potential uses.” 

Bucky frowned at the thought. This situation was getting better and better, honestly. He knew where Rumlow learned how to be a dick, though. 

“If there’s nothing else, gentlemen?” Pepper asked. Murdock shook his head. “Then I believe we can call it a day for now.” 

Bucky got up and ran a hand over his face as the room cleared out. In his mind, he could see the list of things that he was behind on from being in jail the past couple days. He groaned at the thought. It would take him easily the rest of the week and possibly a bit of the weekend to catch up. This bullshit wasn’t helping, either. 

“Hey, Bucky, you got a minute?” came a voice. Bucky lowered his hand and sighed softly as he turned around to see Tony. He was serious now. “How are you holding up?” 

Bucky leaned back against the wall and sighed again. “I’ve had better weeks,” he said. “Can’t say I missed being in jail.” 

“I believe that,” Tony replied. They were quiet for a while before Bucky spoke again. 

“I just hate this whole situation,” he said. “Steve deserves better than this. Definitely doesn’t deserve an abusive, asshole ex with a powerful, morally bankrupt stepdad.” 

“At least you were there to help him,” Tony said. 

“And landed him in a lawsuit,” Bucky countered. 

“You heard them in there,” Tony said. “If they’re smart, they’ll drop the charges or try to reach some kind of settlement. Their defense is shoddy at best.”

Bucky nodded and sighed. “Yeah, that’s something. Thanks, Tony.” 

“No problem,” Tony said. “Take it easy when you leave here today. Maybe invite your boy over and relieve some stress or something.” 

Bucky grinned. “Oh yeah?” he asked. “Might do that. He’s got a big interview in a couple days, though. Can’t do anything too fun.” 

“Wait until after, then,” Tony said. “Do something fun this weekend.”

“Got work to catch up on, remember?” Bucky asked. “This is technically the first day I’ve been in this week.” 

“Okay, since I own the company—”

“That Pepper is CEO of,” Bucky interjected. 

“Details,” Tony replied with a wave of his hand. “Anyway, you’re not allowed to work this weekend. Relax. Have some fun with your new boy toy. Do something romantic like watch a movie or drip wax on him or something.” 

“Wax play is romantic?” Bucky asked with a grin. 

“Hey, candles are romantic. That’s what Pepper said last time,” Tony countered. Bucky laughed at that. 

“I really do have work to get done,” Bucky said. Tony laid a hand on his shoulder and looked him in the eye. 

“Take it from someone who was a bit of a professional workaholic,” Tony said. “You need to take some time for yourself. Work extra next week if you really want to, but this weekend, just take some time to relax after being in jail.” 

Bucky looked at Tony for a moment before he nodded. “Fine. Next week, though, I’m working long hours no matter what you say.” 

“Fine by me,” Tony said with a grin. He turned around and walked off to another part of his office. “Good chat, Buckaroo.” 

“I mean it!” Bucky called after him. “I know who your Dom is!” 

Tony laughed at that and Bucky grinned. He felt slightly less stressed as he walked back towards the elevator. Maybe he could duck out for a bit to see Steve and get some more coffee.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos give me life, y'all! <3


	23. Chapter 23

Steve sat in Shield Law, Inc.’s lobby while he waited to be called for his interview. He was trying not to fidget. He had no idea who would be interviewing him, what they would ask, what they would want to know, or if they would just tell him to leave because they couldn’t or wouldn’t hire someone they were representing. Steve wasn’t personally familiar with the ethics lawyers adhered to.

He was dressed to the nines in his dark navy blue suit, green button down shirt, and black tie. It was fine quality and specifically tailored to fit his body. He could move around comfortably and sit without feeling like he was being suffocated. It felt nice to be in nice clothes that fit his body. 

He also tended to be especially self-conscious during interviews, especially when he looked nice. He always felt like nice clothes brought out just how fat he was. Every curve, every mound of fat was there to see. It made him feel a little exposed. 

He’d texted a picture of himself to Bucky this morning. Bucky told him he looked sexy and wished him luck. Honestly, Steve was beginning to regret not taking Bucky up on his offer to hire Steve as his secretary. On the one hand, it was probably a joke, but on the other hand, at least he knew the interviewer (somewhat intimately, at that). 

The door opened and a smart, balding man with a mildly pleasant smile appeared. He looked at Steve and Steve stood up. He reached out and shook the man’s hand. 

“I’m Phil Coulson,” he said. “It’s good to meet you in person, Mr. Rogers.” 

“Likewise,” Steve replied politely. “Thank you for having me.” 

“Of course. This way, please,” he said. 

He led Steve past a row of offices. He spied Peggy and Natasha’s based on their names on the doors, but didn’t expect to see either of them personally. They would probably have people not associated with him conducting the interview, anyway, to avoid the appearance of favoritism. Not that Steve would be opposed to it right now. 

Phil Coulson opened a door near the end of the hall and walked in. Inside was a smart, brunette woman with a sharp gaze. Like Steve, she was dressed in a suit and Steve was a little envious at how confident she seemed in it. Next to her was an older black man with an eyepatch and scars on one side of his face. He was easily one of the most intimidating men Steve had ever encountered. 

“This must be Mr. Rogers,” he said coolly. “We’ve heard a lot about you recently.” 

“I’m sure you have,” Steve replied before he could think better of it. “Will the case Peggy is helping me with be relevant to the position you’re interviewing me for?” 

“The only thing we’re concerned with regarding that case is the bill that gets paid when it’s over,” the woman said. “It has no bearing on your potential employment here.” 

“Well that’s reassuring,” Steve replied. He sat down on the other side of the table. “Nice to meet you two.” 

“And you, Steve,” the woman replied. “My name is Assistant Director Maria Hill, this is Director Nick Fury, one of the lawyers that runs Shield Law, Inc.” 

“How familiar are you with our organization?” Fury asked. 

“I know that you’re mainly defense attorneys,” Steve replied. “Peggy has mentioned that some of you have done prosecution on occasion, though.”

“That’s true,” Maria replied. “We have been known to take prosecution cases if the case is right.” 

“I’m afraid I don’t know much more than that,” Steve said. “Peggy tends not to talk about her job with anyone who’s not directly involved with one of her cases.” 

“Good,” Fury replied. “Speaking of confidentiality, should you get hired, you would have to handle documents that have privileged information on them. How confident are you that you can store them effectively?” 

“Very,” Steve said. “I’ve been a manager for a few years now and one of my biggest strengths is being organized. I never lose anything and every file I handle gets put in the place it belongs as soon as it’s done being used.” 

“That’s encouraging,” Maria said. “It goes without saying that any information you may or may not hear regarding active clients and cases are confidential and not to leave this office.” 

“Of course, that’s only to be expected,” Steve replied. 

“So what’s your stance on gossip?” Fury asked. 

“My ma taught me that if I wouldn’t say it to someone’s face, I shouldn’t say it at all,” Steve replied. “The way I see it, the only people who need to know something are the people who are involved. And if they need to know something, that’s your job. Or mine, to the extent that you’d ask me to tell them as part of my job.” 

“Good answer,” Fury replied. 

“How much experience do you have in an office setting?” Maria asked.

“I don’t,” Steve admitted. “But like I said, I have experience with management and maintaining an organized work space, so I think I would be able to pick up office work relatively easily.” 

“Yes, you work in a coffee shop currently,” Maria said. “Which means that you make better coffee than Nick, here.” 

Director Fury stared at him emotionlessly. Steve shrugged. 

“I’m pretty good at it,” he said. “My partner says that I make a great latte, but I’m pretty sure he’s biased.” 

“Well, speaking without bias, Director Fury cannot make coffee,” she said. 

“Would making coffee be part of my job?” Steve asked. 

“It wouldn’t _not_ be part of your job,” Fury replied. 

“I… see,” Steve said. 

“Lastly, because the nature of the job requires you to have a good working relationship with the lawyers here and to assist any potential clients who walk through our doors,” Maria continued. “How good are you with people?” 

“I think I’m fairly good with them,” Steve replied. “I mean, I don’t anticipate going door to door to run for public office or anything like that, but I’d say that I’m good at interacting with people on a day to day basis.”

“There are worse things,” Fury said. “Do you have any questions for us?” 

“Yes,” Steve said. “Your ad said that you provide benefits. What kinds of benefits are we talking about exactly?” 

“Should you be hired to the position,” Maria said. “We would provide you with two weeks paid sick time a year, two weeks paid vacation, basic company health and dental insurance, and retirement, assuming you’re around that long.” 

Steve had to keep himself from dropping his jaw. He worked full-time now at the coffee shop and didn’t get that good a deal with benefits. Vacation time was sort of laughable considering how little he got paid. The insurance was nice, but it wasn’t that much help. Honestly, he wanted the job even more, now. 

“Since the case that Peggy is helping me with is ongoing, is there any problem with one of your lawyers helping me out?” Steve asked. 

“As long as you don’t make a regular habit of it,” Fury replied. “If, for some reason, you were to lose the case, we would discuss payment then. Aside from that, there are no concerns.” 

“Well, that’s good,” Steve said. “That covers the questions that I have about this position.” 

“Great,” Maria said, standing up. “We’ll let you know within three weeks whether you get the job or not.”

* * *

Steve took a deep breath as soon as he was a couple blocks away from the building. It was somewhat relieving to have that behind him. It went well… he just had to wait a couple weeks before he knew anything. That was always the worst part of it all. He loosened his tie a bit and relaxed. He needed to get home so he could process everything. 

At the same time, the hair on the back of his head stood up. He didn’t turn around. If he was being followed, it might be better for him to not act like he knew. People tended not to stare at him, at least, not usually. It wasn’t the first time he’d felt this, either. It put him on edge. 

Instead, he took out his phone and called Bucky. After a couple rings, Bucky picked up. 

“Hey, baby, how you doin’?” he asked. “Is your interview done?” 

“Yeah, I think it went well,” Steve said. “I won’t know anything for a few weeks, though.” 

“I’m sure you did great,” Bucky replied. “‘Fraid I can’t get away, though, in case you wanted to celebrate. Got a lotta work to finish here. Gonna have to work through lunch.” 

“Actually, I was wondering…” Steve said. He glanced over his shoulder. He didn’t see anything, but it didn’t put him at ease. 

“You okay?” Bucky asked. “You sound a bit on edge.”

“I was wondering if I could come over,” he said quietly. “I… I think I’m being followed.”

“Have you told anyone?” Bucky asked. 

“Told them what?” Steve replied. “I don’t know who it might be and they haven’t done anything yet.” 

“Good point,” Bucky said. “You come right over to the tower, okay? Get a cab. I’ll meet you at the door to pay them.” 

“Thanks,” he said. “I’ll see you soon.” 

“See ya,” Bucky said. 

With that, Steve hung up. He scanned the street before him and spied a number of cabs. He put his fingers to his lips and released a piercing whistle. One of the cabs pulled over and Steve got in. The driver was a nondescript man and Steve didn’t pay him that much mind. 

“Stark Industries,” he said. The man nodded and pulled off into the street and started heading towards the tower. Steve scanned the crowd for someone he might recognize, but saw no one. He wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or not.

* * *

It took nearly half an hour to get to the tower, but sure enough, Bucky was waiting for him when the cab stopped at the front door. Bucky walked right up to the driver and paid for the trip before wrapping an arm protectively around Steve’s shoulders and walking him into the building. He didn’t say anything until they were in the elevator. 

“How are you feeling?” Bucky asked. 

“I don’t know,” Steve admitted. He stepped a bit closer to Bucky and Bucky’s arm around him tightened. “Maybe a bit shaken, kinda scared.” 

“You can stay with me if you want,” Bucky said. “Want you to be safe.” 

Steve nodded. “I know you’re working and everything, but…” 

Bucky looked down at him. “You need your Daddy, baby boy?” he asked. Steve nodded and Bucky kissed his forehead. “I always got time for my baby boy. What do you need?” 

“Just… hold me?” Steve asked. “Make me feel safe.” 

“I can do that,” Bucky said. He kissed Steve’s forehead again. 

“And later… we could play?” Steve said hopefully. Bucky smiled down at him, mischief and affection dancing in his eyes. 

“Oh yeah?” Bucky asked. “What do you wanna play?” 

“I don’t know,” Steve said. “I just… I wanna be yours. Want you to make me yours.” 

“Oh, baby boy,” Bucky purred. “The things you say.” 

The door opened and Bucky took Steve’s hand and led him to his office. He set Steve down on a nice, plush couch. Steve took a moment to look around the office. It felt a bit homier than Bucky’s actual home. Like someone spent time here. The floor was warm beige and the couches were a dark brown and there were plants around the room all leaning towards the windows to get sunlight. It was a pleasant space; relaxing and good for focusing on productivity. 

“You hungry, baby?” Bucky asked. “I gotta work, but I can order something in. What do you feel like today?” 

“Thai,” Steve replied. “Get me some spring rolls?” 

“Sure thing, baby,” Bucky said. He placed their order and walked over to the couch. He sat down next to Steve and drew him in to rest against his chest. Steve buried his face in Bucky’s chest and wrapped his arms around Bucky’s waist. Bucky placed a kiss on the top of his head and Steve let out a shaky breath. 

“It’s okay, baby boy,” Bucky murmured. “Daddy’s here. Daddy’s got you.” 

Steve breathed in. He smelled the soft, masculine scent of Bucky’s sandalwood cologne and his subtle musk beneath it. He felt the firmness, the strength in Bucky’s body, anchoring him to the present moment. His anxiety faded just a bit. It was still there, but so was Bucky, his Daddy. His Daddy, gently stroking his back and kissing his hair. 

“I hate this,” he murmured. 

“I know, baby,” Bucky replied. 

“Why me?” he demanded. “What the hell did I ever do to deserve this?” 

“Nothing,” Bucky said. “You’re not responsible for the things other people do.” 

“I just wish I didn’t have to deal with this,” Steve growled. “It’s not right. And then there’s you.” 

“Me?” Bucky asked. Steve tightened his grip on Bucky. 

“You got dragged into this,” Steve murmured. “Because of me. You wouldn’t have the military breathing down your neck if it wasn’t for me.” 

Bucky was quiet for a while. Steve didn’t say anything, either. He could only imagine that Bucky agreed with him. Maybe his life would be better off without Steve. He might’ve been able to become famous off his discovery and met someone who didn’t needlessly complicate his life. 

“If you think for one moment that I regret dating you or that I don’t want to be with you just because your ex is a royal asshole,” Bucky said firmly. “I’ll spend all night proving you wrong.” 

Steve didn’t move or say anything. The words hung in the air between them and Steve had no idea if Bucky was referring to sex or… something else, or both. He had no idea how to respond to that. The feeling of someone actually giving a shit about him and putting effort into being in a relationship with him was both amazing and foreign. Bucky took his chin in his hand and made Steve look at him. He looked down at Steve with sternness and affection. 

“Did you?” he asked. Steve glanced away. “Eyes on me, Steve. Did you think that?” 

Steve looked into Bucky’s eyes and nodded. “Yeah,” he whispered. “I thought you’d be better off without me, too.” 

Bucky’s gaze softened with a hint of sadness and he leaned down to kiss Steve’s lips gently. His beard scratched against Steve’s face as his lips claimed Steve’s mouth. He pulled Steve closer to him as he kissed him gently but passionately, as though he could send Steve’s doubts away with a little bit of willpower and some kissing. It was a nice thought, and Steve let it happen. When Bucky finally pulled away, he held Steve’s face in his hands. 

“I regret a lot of things in my life,” Bucky said. “But I don’t for a single minute wish that I never met you. Maybe my life would be simpler without you, but the military was going to find out about our work here eventually. None of what they’re doing is your fault, do you hear me?”

Steve’s eyes smarted with tears. He sniffled and nodded and Bucky wrapped his arms back around Steve’s body and held him tightly. Steve held Bucky as tightly. He didn’t care that he felt needy or clingy. It felt nice. He felt… loved. It was sort of incredible. In the nearly year in which he dated Rumlow, he never felt this. But Bucky… maybe Bucky was easy to love, or maybe he was just good at this sort of thing. 

He liked it, though, whatever it was. He could love Bucky.

* * *

Bucky did, in fact, have to return to work as soon as they were done eating lunch. Steve occupied himself by texting his roommates and telling them about what was happening. Sam and the rest of his roommates agreed to tell him if he saw someone hanging around outside the apartment complex. It was still unnerving, the idea that maybe Steve had someone who was stalking him on top of everything else, but if, by some chance, he could find out who it was, he could get Peggy to file a restraining order against them. 

It was another thing to worry about. Still, just being with Bucky made Steve feel a little safer. 

At the thought of Bucky, Steve remembered his promise. That he’d spend all night proving that he still wanted Steve in his life. He had adamantly resisted any effort from Steve to find out what his plans were, to the point that Bucky had given Steve a Look that made Steve shut up. 

Steve couldn’t help but feel a little excited for it, regardless. Not knowing just added to his anticipation. Bucky, however, just kept doing whatever work he was trying to accomplish, making calls and emails to other people in the company or looking over some kind of schematic that Steve wasn’t allowed to look at. 

It was nearly 6:00 in the evening by the time Bucky stood up and declared he was done for the day. Steve followed him out, gripping his hand perhaps a little too eagerly, but Bucky just smiled down at him. 

“You hungry, baby?” Bucky asked as they made their way towards the front of the building. 

“I could eat,” Steve replied. “Not that hungry since, you know, the late lunch.” 

“Fair enough,” Bucky said. “You wanna just finish the leftovers?” 

Steve nodded. They were both quiet on the drive home, Steve out of nerves. He could only guess what Bucky was planning on doing to him. Bucky didn’t act any differently than he usually did, though. He led Steve into his house when they got there and they each finished their takeout from earlier. When they were done, Bucky stood up, walked over to Steve, and took his face in a hand. 

“Go upstairs,” he said, his voice low and stern. “Go to my room, take off your clothes, lie down on the bed on your back, and wait for me to come to you.” 

Steve swallowed and nodded. Bucky narrowed his eyes slightly. 

“What do you say?” he asked. 

“Yes, Daddy,” Steve recited. 

Bucky offered a small smile in approval and let go of him. Steve obeyed and rushed up the stairs. He quickly stripped out of his clothes and set them aside before he got on the bed. He stared up at the ceiling. He couldn’t hear anything from downstairs to indicate what Bucky was doing, if anything. His heart pounded in his chest as he waited. 

After about 10 minutes, he heard footsteps coming up the stairs. Steve swallowed as the door opened softly. Bucky, however, went to the closet instead. He whistled idly as he went about his business. Steve bent up to try and see what Bucky was doing, only for Bucky to turn around and look at him with a raised eyebrow.

“What are you doing?” he asked. 

“You didn’t say I couldn’t look,” Steve replied. 

“It was implied,” Bucky said. “Lie down on the bed and stay that way.”

“Why?” Steve asked. 

“Brat,” Bucky said. “Because if I wanted you to know what I was planning, I would’ve told you. Now, lie down. On the bed. And stay that way.” 

Steve let his head fall against the soft mattress beneath him. He heard Bucky rummage through his closet. He gave away no clues, nothing to indicate what he was looking for or what he was planning. Eventually, Steve felt him come closer until he was standing over him. He had a length of black cloth in his hand. 

“I’m going to tie this around you,” he said. “Do you want to take your contacts out?” 

Steve nodded and Bucky brought over a contact case he’d acquired for when Steve stayed over unexpectedly. Steve took his contacts out and placed them in the case before Bucky wrapped the dark cloth over his eyes. It was thick enough that Steve couldn’t even catch the faintest hint of light and low enough that he couldn’t see anything out of his peripheral vision. He was totally blind. 

Next, Bucky picked up Steve’s left leg and tied it firmly to the bedpost before he repeated the process with his right leg. Then, he took Steve’s wrists and connected them to the headboard. Steve tried to move them, but there was only a little bit of give in the rope and not nearly enough to move his arms into a comfortable position. It was almost cruel, the tantalizing bit of slack he had that didn’t actually give him anything. Steve felt exposed, vulnerable. He shivered at the feeling when Bucky’s cold metal hand grazed his side. 

“What’s your safeword, baby boy?” Bucky asked. 

“Tea, Daddy,” Steve said. 

“What do you say if you need a break?” Bucky asked. 

“One,” Steve said. 

“Good boy,” Bucky murmured. “We’re gonna play a game.”

“A game?” Steve asked. 

“It’s a guessing game,” Bucky replied. His voice seemed equally cheerful and menacing and Steve wondered who would end up having more fun. “The rules are simple. You have to guess what I’m using on you. If you guess wrong, I use it until you get it right.”

“And if I guess right?” Steve asked. 

“Well, I’ll keep using it, but you’ll know what it is,” Bucky said. “Might give you a treat if you can guess everything.”

“How many are there?” Steve asked. 

“Now, now, that’s cheating,” Bucky said. With that, Steve heard a brief whoosh in the air before a sharp sting landed on his exposed ass. Steve cried out in pain and jerked off the bed. “Well?” 

“Shit!” Steve swore. 

“It’s definitely not that,” Bucky chuckled. He brought it down on Steve’s ass again and Steve cried out. It was the most intense pain he’d ever felt. That, on top of not being able to see or tell when he was about to get struck added to the feeling of vulnerability he felt. His cock was fully hard and leaking by the fourth strike. 

“Any idea what it is, now?” Bucky asked after the fifth strike. Steve gasped and breathed and thought frantically for a moment. It left a sharp, stinging pain when it hit him and it whooshed in the air a bit. 

“A-A switch?” he asked. 

“Ooh, good guess,” Bucky said. “But no dice.” 

Steve whimpered as Bucky began to hit him again. This time, it was on his thighs, which were far more sensitive than his ass. Steve howled in pain and jerked away as each strike found its mark on his skin. The tenth strike landed on the inside of his thigh and Steve sobbed with pain. 

“Well, baby boy?” Bucky asked. He brushed a knuckle over Steve’s face through the tracks the tears left. “What is it?” 

“I-I don’t kn-know,” Steve sobbed. “Daddy, p-please, I don’t kn-know!” 

“Poor baby boy,” Bucky purred. “You want Daddy to give you a hint?”

“Yes, Daddy,” Steve whined. Bucky hummed and Steve felt a thin, narrow strap of what felt like leather drag over his skin down towards his groin. It stopped just over Steve’s cock and he trembled at the feeling. 

“Well, baby?” Bucky asked. Steve swallowed. 

“A… Is it a crop, Daddy?” Steve asked. Bucky hummed and Steve could hear the smile in the sound. 

“Good boy. I knew you’d get it,” he purred. He tapped Steve’s cock lightly with the crop. “I want to hit you hear, baby boy. Give me a number.” 

God, the thought of… that made Steve shiver. He was familiar with the concept of cock and ball torture, but he’d never really thought much about it. It was exciting and terrifying all at once. He trusted Bucky, though. 

“You’ve done it before?” Steve asked. 

“Yes, baby,” Bucky said. “I like the sweet little sounds people make when their balls get slapped around a bit.”

Steve swallowed. “Seven,” he said. 

“Is that a yes?” Bucky asked. 

“Yes, Daddy,” Steve said quietly. With that, the crop moved away from Steve’s groin. Instead of swatting him there, though, Bucky just resumed hitting Steve’s ass. Steve cried out in pain again and sobbed at the sharp sting against his flesh. 

“All night, remember?” Bucky asked. “Said I’d go all night with you.” 

Steve gasped and trembled as Bucky paused in his strikes. It wasn’t much of a respite, though. The next second, he felt Bucky flick his balls and Steve yelped and jerked away, trying to escape. Bucky delivered another light flick to Steve’s balls. It still hurt like hell. Steve tensed up his body, tried with ounce of his being to keep from squirming and yelling, but when Bucky left another flick to his balls, he couldn’t help it. He cried out and whimpered from the pain and tried to pull his legs up to his chest to protect himself, but they didn’t budge. 

“Such pretty sounds you make for Daddy,” Bucky said with a low, wicked chuckle. 

Steve whimpered. He was almost relieved when Bucky hit his ass with the crop. Almost. Tears streamed down his face and it was almost a relief. It felt like a release, like something he’d been holding back broke. His mind became floaty and distant, but still very aware of the pain he was in. 

“How you feelin’, baby?” Bucky murmured. Steve took a deep breath. 

“It hurts, Daddy,” he murmured. “Feels good.” 

“What’s your number?” Bucky asked. 

“8,” Steve replied. 

“Good boy,” Bucky said. 

He flicked the crop down on the head of Steve’s cock and Steve groaned at the feeling. Bucky did it again before he reached down and touched it. Steve gave a broken moan as the most amazing, intense pleasure he’d ever flared from the head of his cock. 

“Such a good boy for Daddy,” Bucky murmured. “You wanna come for Daddy, baby?”

“Please,” Steve croaked. “Please, Daddy, please, need it! Need to come, please!” 

“Such a good boy,” Bucky purred. He tightened his grip around Steve’s cock just a bit. “Go ahead and come for Daddy.” 

Steve arched off the bed and came with a shout. He was barely aware of it, to be honest. His mind was filled with pleasure and fog and the only coherent thought he could make was how _good_ it felt. Bucky stroked his body gently. 

“Feelin’ a little floaty, baby boy?” Bucky asked. Steve just hummed. “You wanna stop?” 

“All night, Daddy,” Steve said. Bucky was quiet for a minute, then he bend down and kissed Steve’s head. 

“That’s right, baby,” he said. “All night.” 

The bed shifted as Bucky got up. The next thing Steve knew, Bucky brought the strap of the riding crop down on Steve’s thigh again. Steve cried out, even as his mind receded deeper into the dense fog of pleasure. His voice was getting hoarse, but he didn’t care one wit. Bucky’s attention was entirely on Steve and it felt incredible. 

Steve took a deep breath as the strikes against his ass and thighs stopped. He heard Bucky step away and he whined pitifully. Bucky shushed him gently. 

“I’m here, baby,” he said. “Daddy’s right here.” 

He reached down and stroked Steve’s head and affectionately. Steve pushed against the hand and Bucky’s fingers scratched his scalp gently. 

“Just getting your next surprise ready, baby,” Bucky said. “Think you’re gonna like this one a lot.” 

Steve shivered again in anticipation and mewled at him. He made himself be as still as possible as he awaited this “surprise” Bucky had for him. As though this entire thing hadn’t been a surprise, being the most intense thing they’d ever done together. 

"Know what that is?" Bucky asked. 

"Wax!" Steve cried out. 

"Good boy," Bucky replied. "That was an easy one." 

The next thing he knew, Bucky moved off the bed to get something. Steve froze as he heard the sound of a match lighting. Bucky didn’t say anything about it, but this surprise wasn’t difficult to guess what was about to happen. Bucky didn’t ask him if he was ready either. Steve waited with bated breath for a sensation he’d never felt and couldn’t prepare for. 

When the first drop of wax hit his stomach, Steve gasped out in both pain and surprise. It wasn’t quite as much as what he’d felt from the crop, but it was a completely different kind of pain. It burned and the burn lingered far longer than the short, sharp pain of the crop. 

The first few drops landed on Steve’s stomach. They burned and Steve hissed with pain as they dripped and seared onto Steve’s flesh. The drops travelled up, until some particularly hot drops landed on one of his nipples. Steve yelled out as the pain filled his senses; the smell of the wax, the feeling of it dripping onto his skin, the sound of Bucky’s distant hums of approval and pleasure. 

Bucky let a couple more drops fall onto Steve’s nipple before he moved on. The next thing Steve knew, he felt the hot wax dripping onto his inner thighs, already bruised and sore from his beating. He whimpered as the hot wax renewed the sensation there. Bucky let drops fall, inching closer to Steve’s groin. Steve couldn’t even think through the pain and pleasure of it anymore. His entire body flared with pain and sensation and pleasure and it was all so much, so good. He let go, floating away into the blissful fog that enveloped his mind. 

He was distantly aware of the wax that still dripped onto his skin, but all it did was add to the fog in his mind. He heard Bucky’s voice asking him something, but Steve just hummed in response. 

“Such a good boy for Daddy,” Bucky said. There was a hand stroking his hair as more wax dripped onto his body. “That’s it, baby, just take it. Daddy’s gonna make you so pretty.” 

Steve hummed and preened at the praise. He was dimly aware of Bucky’s hand caressing his belly, fingers wandering through the cooling wax before fresh wax seared fell onto his skin. He was dimly aware of wax falling on his dick and his balls, the pain that could be felt, even if just a little bit, within the fog. 

He had no idea how long he was out of it. He didn’t really care, to be honest. Eventually, he felt Bucky whisper into his ear. 

“Come on, baby,” Bucky said. “It’s time to come back. You’ve been so good for me. Come back to me, baby.” 

Steve groaned in protest. He could feel Bucky’s arms around him, feel his lips on his hair. The fog felt nice, happy. 

“Come back to Daddy, baby boy,” Bucky said. “We’re done for tonight.”

Steve whined and Bucky placed a kiss to his cheek. He ran his hand over one of Steve’s arms in slow, affectionate, gentle strokes. Steve slowly returned to more full awareness of where he was and what was going on. His arms and legs were unbound. His body ached like he’d run a marathon, but it was one of the most satisfying experiences he’d ever felt. 

“Done already?” he murmured. He opened his eyes and realized that his blindfold was off, too. “Thought you said you’d go all night.” 

“Baby, it’s 1:00 in the morning,” Bucky chuckled. Steve blinked and looked up at him. 

“Shit, how long was I out?” he wondered. 

“A while,” Bucky replied. “How do you feel?” 

Steve closed his eyes and stretched with a contented sigh. “I think I needed that,” he said. 

“I’m glad,” Bucky said. “I think we both needed something like this.” 

Steve hummed. “Did you get to come?” 

“I did while you were in subspace,” Bucky replied. “You seemed pretty happy with it at the time.” 

“Jeez,” Steve muttered. Bucky chuckled and kissed his head again. 

“You need anything, baby? Water, juice, something to eat?” Bucky asked. 

“If you have any chocolate, that would be great,” Steve replied. “And… do you have orange juice?” 

Bucky kissed him again and got up. He went down the stairs quickly and Steve curled around the blankets beneath him. They were so soft and warm and he felt nice and content. His legs stung and he could still feel the places on his torso where the wax landed on him, but it was all just a reminder of what had happened. 

Bucky returned a couple minutes later with a tall glass of juice and a box of chocolates. Steve dug into them and Bucky coaxed him into taking slow, measured sips of the juice. He slowly started to feel more like himself, but the lingering high of the subspace remained. 

Bucky went about cleaning him up, starting with the wax on his body. When he was clean and the toys Bucky used were put away and Steve's hearing aids were set on the nightstand, Bucky pulled Steve close to him and covered them with the thick, soft blanket. Steve relaxed into the comforting warmth of Bucky’s body. 

“Thank you, Daddy,” Steve signed. Bucky leaned down to kiss Steve’s lips gently. 

“It was my pleasure, doll,” Bucky murmured. “Go to sleep, now. Daddy will be here when you wake up.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos give me life, y'all! <3


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! First, a couple of housekeeping things. Well, one, I suppose. My summer class started this week (I know, it was just a couple weeks ago that I had finals week. So not fair). Anyway, the class has its major due dates every week as Wednesdays and Sundays, so I'm moving the update day for this story. Next week's update will be on Thursday and it'll probably be like that until the end of the story, whenever that is.
> 
> Hope you enjoy the chapter!

Bucky woke up first the next morning. Steve was still snoring softly, nestled comfortably on his chest. He took a moment to look down at him and run a hand through the soft, smooth blond hair. It was nearly 10:00, now and Bucky felt a note of pride that Steve was still sleeping as soundly as he was. 

Last night was easily the most intense scene that they’d had to date. Still, Bucky was fairly sure that he hadn’t begun to encroach on Steve’s limits. It was exhilarating. Bucky hadn’t had a partner who was this into kink and BDSM in years. He used to be a bit jealous of Nat and Clint since they had found each other and seemed pretty compatible. He was usually the kinkier of his partners in the past. 

While he wasn’t against sweet, vanilla sex, he did tend to get bored with it after a while. Kink was exciting and intimate. He loved the feeling of having a partner submit, putting their safety and wellbeing in his hands. He loved the trust and respect that was part of that kind of dynamic. 

Steve… Steve had trusted him almost implicitly from the very beginning. It was amazing and more than a little satisfying for Bucky’s ego. And it just kept getting better. Steve could be a bit bratty, like lots of subs could be on occasion, but it was nothing that a little discipline couldn’t fix. Bucky had to remind himself sometimes that Steve was new to kink… on top of dealing with a lot of emotional baggage. 

There were times when he thought about suggesting that Steve get counseling. If nothing else, than to have someone to talk to who was neutral about what was going on the lawsuit. Ideally, though, he’d work through some stuff around his dad and his asshole ex. 

“Stop it,” Steve murmured. Bucky chuckled. 

“Stop what?” Bucky asked. 

“Thinking,” Steve replied. “It’s rude.”

“It is?” Bucky asked. “Why’s that?” 

“Stopped petting me,” Steve murmured. “Felt nice. Tapping me is less nice.” 

Bucky grinned and placed a kiss on Steve’s head. Steve hummed contentedly and Bucky resumed petting his hair. 

“What do ya wanna do today, baby boy?” Bucky asked. “Fell asleep before I could give you a treat last night.” 

“A treat?” Steve asked. 

“Yeah, you were so good last night, baby boy,” Bucky murmured. “Wanna give you somethin’ nice as a reward.” 

Steve hummed thoughtfully. He ran a hand over Bucky’s hard, sculpted body. Bucky’s pulse quickened and his cock twitched with interest. He made himself stay still, even though all he wanted to do was roll them over and have his way with his beautiful boyfriend. 

“You know what I wanna do today, Daddy?” Steve murmured. Bucky hummed as Steve’s hand wandered further down, teasing just above his waistline and playing with the trail of hair that led down to his groin. 

“What, baby?” Bucky asked. 

“I want us to stay in bed,” Steve murmured. “All day.” 

“All day, huh?” Bucky asked. Steve hummed and raised his face and Bucky bent down and kissed him hungrily. “And what do you want to do in bed?” 

“You know what I want, Daddy,” Steve said. 

“Oh I think I do,” Bucky said. “But Daddy likes to hear you ask, baby doll.” 

“Daddy,” Steve breathed. He swallowed. “I want you to fuck me.” 

Bucky grinned down at him. He pinched one of Steve’s nipples lightly, just enough to cause a bit of sensation. He was probably still a little sore from the wax last night. Still, Steve whimpered a bit. 

“Oh you do, do you?” he asked. “Is that how good boys ask for their Daddy’s cock?” 

“Daddy,” Steve whined. Bucky growled softly and rolled over, pinning Steve beneath him. 

“Say it, baby,” Bucky growled. “Ask Daddy what you want him to do.” 

“Please will you fuck me, Daddy?” Steve whined. Bucky kissed him deep and hungrily. Steve moaned into the kiss and Bucky drank in the sound. His hands roamed over Steve’s body, playing with his chest and the soft folds of his stomach. 

“Oh, baby boy,” Bucky breathed. “Daddy’s gonna make you feel so good.”

Steve moaned as Bucky made his way down Steve’s body. He kissed and sucked on Steve’s collarbone. Steve sighed and arched up against Bucky’s body. 

“Daddy,” Steve breathed.

“Patience, baby,” Bucky murmured. “Daddy wants to take his time with you today. It’s the first time, after all. Wanna show you just how much I love this gorgeous body of yours.”

Steve groaned with frustration, but Bucky looked up and saw a shy smile on his face. He was adorable when he was embarrassed. Bucky squeezed his chest and moaned at the feeling of Steve’s full, soft pecs filled his hands. He kneaded them gently and Steve gasped and moaned beneath him. 

“Daddy,” he moaned. “Oh God, Daddy.” 

“Love your tits, baby boy,” Bucky murmured he latched his mouth onto one of Steve’s nipples and sucked. Steve keened and arched off the bed. “Fuck, I could just bury my face in your tits every damn day.” 

“No arguments here,” Steve moaned. Bucky grinned and resumed biting and sucking on Steve’s chest. Part of him wondered what it would be like, waking up to Steve next to him every day, going to bed with him every night. He imagined what it would be like to wake up in the middle of the night and have him there, sleeping soundly. 

He thought about being able to tie him up like he did last night every day if he wanted. He thought about what it would be like to ensure that Steve’s body was always marked, bruises and welts and more covering his skin. His mind concocted ridiculously fantasies, some kinky and hot, others soft and domestic. 

He was somewhat surprised by the yearning he felt for that sort of thing. Maybe, in a way, he’d come to need Steve just as much as Steve needed him. It was a beautiful, wondrous thing. 

He set the thoughts aside for now as he latched onto the other nipple and toyed with it with his teeth and tongue. Steve’s eyes were closed and his face was flushed with pleasure. It was one of the most beautiful sights Bucky had ever seen. 

He continued down his body, kissing and sucking along the way. He paid particular attention to Steve’s belly, kissing along the stretch marks and moaning as he worshipped every inch of it. He could never get enough of seeing it jiggle when Bucky spanked Steve. He couldn’t wait to see it when he fucked him. 

“Daddy, hurry up,” Steve moaned. He thrust his hips up off the bed. “Need you, Daddy. Wanna feel you, please.” 

“Oh, such a good boy, asking so sweetly,” Bucky purred. “But you gotta be patient. Daddy wants to have his fun, too, baby.”

“It’s my treat,” Steve said with a pout. “Takin’ a while.” 

“Trust me, doll, it’s gonna be worth the wait,” Bucky said with a grin. He pulled Steve’s pajama pants down and tossed them aside. Steve’s pretty cock sprang free. “Just wanna make you feel good. Got all day to do it, too.” 

With that, Bucky wrapped his lips around Steve’s cock and swallowed him down. Steve moaned and thrust up into Bucky’s mouth as he arched off the bed. Bucky bobbed his head in slowly and languished in the pleasure he brought his boy. He tasted the bitter pre-come that dripped from the head of Steve’s cock. 

Steve’s entire body was flushed from Bucky’s ministrations, but it seemed to only deepen as Bucky sucked him off. He didn’t care to tell Steve whether or not to come or when. Right now, the only thing that mattered was the pleasure he gave Steve moaned and whined and writhed beneath him, and all Bucky could think about was how beautiful he was. 

He reached up with his metal hand and began to toy with Steve’s balls. Steve gasped and jerked slightly and Bucky grinned as he remembered what he’d done last night. Oh, but the sounds Steve had made, the pained yelps and sweet whimpers, they were music to Bucky’s ears. He’d have to do it again sometime. 

Now, though, the only thing he wanted was to pleasure his boy, so he massaged them gently in his hand. Steve gave a shuddering moan and the next thing Bucky knew, his cock pulsed and warm come shot into his mouth. Bucky moaned at the taste and swallowed it down as he milked Steve’s cock of every drop. When he was done, Steve slumped against the bed, breathing heavily. 

“Daddy,” he whined. “I’m sorry…”

“Sorry?” Bucky asked. 

“Came without permission, Daddy,” Steve said. 

“Oh, baby doll, don’t worry about that,” Bucky said. He rose and placed a tender, if hungry, kiss to Steve’s lips. Steve hummed as he returned it and Bucky felt him relax beneath him. “Only thing Daddy cares about today is making you feel good, okay? Don’t worry your pretty little head about stuff like permission. You go ahead and come whenever you want.” 

“Can I touch myself?” Steve asked. 

“No,” Bucky said with a feral grin. “That’s Daddy’s job. Daddy’s gonna make you come, all you gotta do is lie back and take it.” 

Steve hummed happily and Bucky rolled him over. He kissed Steve down the length of his spine and grinned as Steve sighed beneath him. His hands kneaded Steve’s ass and kissed right above the bottom of Steve’s back where the curve of his ass began. 

“Daddy?” 

“Shh, baby,” Bucky murmured. He spread Steve’s deliciously plump ass and found his prize: a pretty, pink, puckering hole. “Daddy’s just gonna help himself to some cake.” 

Steve groaned at Bucky’s clearly excellent joke and Bucky gave another squeeze to Steve’s ass before he dived in. He trailed one long, sensuous lick up over Steve’s taint and his hole. Steve released a muffled moan and pushed back against Bucky’s face. Bucky moaned and squeezed Steve’s ass again as he licked, nipped, and sucked against his boy’s beautiful hole. 

“Fuck, Daddy,” Steve moaned. “Feels so good.” 

Bucky moaned again. His tongue teased at Steve’s entrance, giving little darting licks at one moment and long, greedy ones at another. He felt Steve relax against him and he thrust his tongue into Steve’s ass. Steve released a pleasured whine and sighed contentedly as Bucky began to eat his ass in earnest. 

“Fuck, baby boy,” Bucky moaned against him. “God, your ass is a fucking gift. Got no idea how much Daddy wanted to taste this sweet ass of yours.” 

“Was it worth the wait?” Steve asked. 

“Oh, baby, yes,” Bucky moaned. He gave another long lick to Steve’s hole and Steve moaned at the feeling. “Daddy wants to eat your ass every day now. Best ass I ever had, doll.” 

Steve moaned and Bucky could hear the insecurity in the sound. He rose and placed a hand on the small of Steve’s back and caressed him gently. 

“Hey,” he said. “I mean it. You’re gorgeous, Steve. The most beautiful boy I’ve ever had, I promise.”

“Really?” Steve asked. Bucky kissed him between the shoulder blades. 

“Really. You’re so sweet for me, Steve,” Bucky murmured against his skin like a benediction. “You’re kind and smart and clever and sharp as a tack. Sometimes when you’re not here, I lie awake and all I can think about is how I miss you. And when you are here, I think of how lucky I am.” 

Steve sniffed and Bucky looked at him. He saw tears falling from Steve’s eyes and he wrapped his arms gently around Steve’s body and held him close. 

“Baby, what’s wrong?” Bucky asked. “Was it something I said?” 

Steve rolled over and wrapped an arm around Bucky’s neck and dragged him down into a fierce, desperate kiss. Bucky hummed in surprise, but he returned the kiss eagerly. He held his boy close, determined not to let him go. 

“I love you,” Steve whispered against his lips. “God, I love you so much, Buck.” 

Bucky grinned against Steve’s lips and hugged him tighter. He kissed him again and poured all his love and affection into the kiss. 

“I love you, too, Steve,” Bucky said with a smile. Steve blinked dumbly at him. 

“You do?” Steve asked. Bucky chuckled and kissed him again. 

“I’ve loved you this whole time, baby,” he replied. “Since the first time you sassed me, I loved you.” 

“Somehow, love at first sass sounds less romantic than love at first sight,” Steve remarked. His face was consumed by a goofy smile, though, and his eyes were bright and sparkling, like waves dancing in the sunlight. 

“Well, I loved your body at first sight,” Bucky said with a grin. “The first time I saw you, I wanted to do all sorts of wicked, wonderful things to you.” 

“You’ve done some of them,” Steve replied. 

“Daddy’s got more things he wants to do to you, baby boy,” Bucky growled playfully. 

“Later,” Steve said. He reached down and cupped Bucky’s erection through his sleep pants. Bucky groaned as he began to rut against Steve’s hand. “Need you, Daddy.” 

“Tell me,” Bucky purred. “Tell Daddy what you want, baby boy.” 

Steve swallowed and took in a shaky breath. “Daddy, will you make love to me?” 

Bucky kissed Steve softly and rolled him over onto his back. He situated himself squarely between Steve’s legs as he caressed him lovingly. 

“It would be my pleasure,” he said. 

He reached over to the end table and fished out the bottle of lube and a handful of condoms. He uncapped it and squeezed a dollop of lube onto his right hand and lubed up his fingers before he pressed one to Steve’s entrance. Steve took a deep breath as Bucky pressed it inside. Steve moaned as Bucky found his prostate and grazed his finger directly over it as he fucked him with it. He looked down at Steve and watched him writhe from the pleasure of it. He reached down with his metal hand and wrapped it around Steve’s cock.

“Daddy,” Steve gasped. 

“Yes, baby?” Bucky asked. 

“Feels so good,” Steve moaned. “G-Gonna come, Daddy. ‘M so close.” 

“Do it, baby boy,” Bucky said. He tightened his grip on Steve’s cock and pressed harder against his prostate. “Come for Daddy. Make a mess of yourself.”

Steve gasped and whined and arched off the bed and came with a shout. His come shot out onto his stomach and Bucky jerked him through his orgasm until the last drop was milked from his cock. 

“Good boy,” Bucky murmured. “That’s Daddy’s good little boy.” 

He pressed another finger to Steve’s hole and pushed in. He went slowly since he didn’t want to overwhelm Steve, especially since he fully intended to get at least one more orgasm out of him by the time they were done with this round. In the back of his mind, he pictured another day when they didn’t have anything to do and he could just bring Steve to orgasm over and over again until it hurt, until Steve begged him to stop. 

He pushed that thought to the side for now. Today was about something else entirely, though he did meant to get Steve to come as often as possible. There would be time to play with him later. 

“Let me know if it gets to be too much,” Bucky said. 

Steve nodded, his face flushed and his eyes dilated. He looked like he was a little floaty already. Bucky loved the look on Steve’s face when he got all floaty and happy. He was so open and vulnerable and the only thing Bucky could ever think about was how to take care of him. 

He began to stretch Steve slowly. His cock was thick and long and it took time to get it situated before he could really get going. Not that he minded all that much. If he wanted to skip the prep, he could just order his sub to wear a plug for the day. 

He pressed a third finger into Steve’s ass and Steve groaned at the stretch. His cock was slowly twitching its way back to hardness and Bucky jerked it lightly in with his free hand to help it along. Steve moaned beneath him and thrust his hips up. 

“More, Daddy,” Steve moaned. “Need more, please?” 

“Just a minute, baby boy,” Bucky replied. “Need to make sure you’re ready.” 

Steve whined in protest and Bucky chuckled at him. He was adorable when he was needy. As fun as it would be to deny him, though, Bucky had completely neglected his own aching member and he wanted to bury himself in Steve’s body. 

_Just a little longer_ , he told himself. He kept stretching Steve’s hole and tried to think of anything but how tight and hot he was and how good it would feel around his cock. 

It was a losing battle. 

Finally, when Steve was mostly ready and Bucky couldn’t take it anymore, he slowly extracted himself from Steve’s ass and let go of his cock. He tore open a condom package and wrapped it around his dick and lubed himself up generously. He lined himself up and looked down at Steve. 

“Ready?” he asked. Steve rolled his eyes and nodded and Bucky grinned as he pressed against Steve’s hole. 

“Oh, fuck,” Steve moaned as Bucky’s cock breached him. “Oh, God, Daddy.” 

Bucky could only grit his teeth and groan in agreement. Steve’s ass was heaven. He pushed in at an agonizingly slow pace. He gripped Steve’s hips hard enough to bruise just to keep himself from going too fast. He looked down at Steve’s face, flushed with arousal, his eyes almost black with lust with a faintly distant look to them. 

“Hey,” he said. Steve’s eyes sharpened as he focused on Bucky. Bucky smiled. “Daddy loves you, baby.” 

Just like that, Steve’s face broke into a soft, giddy smile. He reached down and grabbed one of Bucky’s hands, the metal one, and laced their fingers together. 

“Baby loves you, too, Daddy,” Steve breathed. It was Bucky’s turn to smile as his heart swelled in his chest and raced with excitement at the words. 

When Bucky finally bottomed out, he draped himself slowly over Steve’s body and kissed him deeply. Steve moaned and sucked on his tongue. Their hands were still joined and Bucky couldn’t bring himself to separate them. His free hand reached up and gently caressed Steve’s cheek. 

“What did I do to deserve you?” Bucky murmured. Steve grinned that cheeky grin that Bucky loved. 

“You deserve me, huh?” he asked. Bucky huffed. 

“Never,” Bucky replied. “But I aim to try.” 

Steve’s eyes softened and he wrapped an arm around Bucky’s neck and kissed him. Bucky returned it gently He could feel the unspoken words in the kiss, that Steve felt the same way about him. Bucky would spend however long he had with him trying to change that. 

He began to rock his hips into Steve’s body, rolling them slowly and thrusting them deep into Steve’s body. Steve moaned into the kiss and Bucky moaned straight back. Nothing he’d felt ever compared to Steve, tight and hot and soft beneath him. His thrusts were slow and shallow as he savored the feeling of Steve’s body. His hand caressed the smooth, soft hills beneath him. 

“God, you feel amazing, baby boy,” Bucky moaned. “Waited so long to do this to you.” 

“Everything you dreamed it would be?” Steve asked. 

“Yup,” Bucky replied with a wide smile. “Better, even.” 

Steve moaned as Bucky shifted his hips and arched against Bucky’s body. His fingers dug into Bucky’s back and made Bucky groan from the bit of pain they left. Bucky hummed and thrust over that spot again and Steve moaned even louder. 

“Feeling good, baby?” Bucky asked. 

“Fuck, Daddy!” Steve cried. “More, please, give me more!” 

Bucky groaned at Steve’s sweet pleas and his thrusts grew longer. They were still slow and measured, but he dragged his cock over Steve’s prostate with every thrust and relished the sight of Steve coming apart beneath him. Steve moaned and whined and groaned beneath him and they were the most beautiful sounds Bucky had ever heard from him. 

Bucky gradually increased the length of his thrusts until he was sliding almost all the way out with them. He loved the feeling of filling Steve up with his cock, the sight of Steve’s pleasure with each thrust. His eyes were open and his mouth hung slack and he breathed with quick, harried breaths. His fingers dug into Bucky’s back with one hand while the other clung tightly to the unyielding metal one. 

Eventually, Steve extracted his hand from Bucky’s and unwrapped his arm from around Bucky’s neck. Bucky paused in case Steve needed something. Instead, Steve held up his hands and signed, faster. 

Bucky grinned in equal parts pleasure and pride that he’d reduced Steve to a nonverbal puddle of pleasure. He quickened his pace, his hips smacking against Steve’s and Steve threw his head back and released a shuddering moan. Bucky captured his neck in a possessive, claiming kiss, sucking hard against the sensitive skin. Steve moaned again and raised a hand to tangle his fingers in Bucky’s hair. He pulled slightly on the silky strands and Bucky moaned as he sucked another mark onto Steve’s neck.

“ _Daddy, Daddy, Daddy_ ,” Steve signed. “ _Feels so good, Daddy, don’t stop_.”

“Not gonna stop, baby,” Bucky growled. “Not ever gonna stop, know why?” 

“ _Why?_ ” 

“Because you’re Daddy’s little boy,” Bucky said. “And Daddy takes care of what’s his.” 

“ _I’m close, Daddy_ ,” Steve signed. 

“Come for me, baby,” Bucky growled. Steve arched off the bed and clenched around Bucky’s cock like a vice and came with a wrecked moan. Bucky fucked him through the orgasm until Steve went slack beneath him. He kissed Steve gently as he breathed ragged breaths. 

“Do you want me to stop?” Bucky asked. Steve shook his head. 

“ _Wanna feel you come, Daddy_ ,” he signed. Bucky groaned and kissed him again before he pulled his cock out until just the head was inside Steve and slammed back inside. Steve whimpered as Bucky’s pace quickened, his hips slapping against Steve’s and Steve’s ass clenching around his cock. 

“Fuck, Steve,” Bucky groaned. He bit Steve’s bottom lip. “I love you, baby boy, love you so much.”

“Love you, Daddy,” Steve signed as he moaned. “Come for me, Daddy. Please, want it, want you to come.” 

Bucky grunted and groaned as he came, filling the condom with his seed. Steve sighed happily beneath him. Bucky kept thrusting into him until the last of his come was spent. He slumped down next to Steve’s body and smiled at him. 

“Thank you,” he said. Steve looked at him curiously. 

“ _For what?_ ” he asked. Bucky rolled over and held up his hands. 

“ _For trusting me_ ,” Bucky signed. “ _I love you, baby boy._ ”

“ _I love you, too, Daddy_ ,” Steve replied with a happy smile. 

He scooted over and nestled his head beneath Bucky’s chin. Bucky smiled as he wrapped an arm around Steve’s body and held him close. Everything was quiet for a while before Steve’s stomach growled. Steve groaned and hid his face in Bucky’s shoulder. 

“You wanna get somethin’ to eat?” Bucky asked. Steve nodded and Bucky chuckled and moved to get out of bed.

“Stop,” Steve whined. 

“What?” Bucky asked. “Gotta get outta bed to get food.” 

“Said I wanted to stay in bed all day,” Steve replied with a pout. Then he gave a sly smile. “Besides… wanna go for round two when we’re done eating.” 

Bucky grinned. “Hungry for more than just food, I see,” he murmured. “Got a taste of Daddy’s dick and now ya can’t get enough, is that it?” 

“We’ll see if you can keep up,” Steve said with a mischievous light in his eyes. Bucky growled playfully and pounced on his boyfriend and pinned him to the bed. Steve shouted and laughed and tried to get away but Bucky had him firmly in hand. 

“You know,” Bucky said lowly. “There are other places we could have sex in the house. All kinds of nice, sturdy tables or countertops or couches we could try out.” 

Steve hummed. “Daddy…” he sighed. Bucky growled and nipped at Steve’s lower lip playfully before he scooped Steve up in his arms and stood up. Steve shrieked and clung to him as Bucky walked out of the room and started going down the stairs. 

“You’re insane,” Steve breathed. 

“I work out,” Bucky replied as they reached the bottom. “What kind of Daddy can’t carry his little boy?” 

“Stop it,” Steve said with a blush. He cupped Bucky’s bicep, though and Bucky chuckled. 

“Never,” he swore. He set Steve down on a countertop and kissed him. “Not ever gonna stop makin’ you feel good, Steve.” 

Steve placed his hands on Bucky’s face and stared at him with something like wonder on his face for a moment. His fingertips brushed Bucky’s face gently. Eventually, Steve placed another kiss to Bucky’s lips, soft as a promise. 

“I believe you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos give me life, y'all! <3


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is filled with lemony lemons.

It was amazing what three little words were able to do. Over the next few days, Steve felt like he was walking on air. He was giddy, almost like he was in little space, but definitely not. He caught himself smiling at nothing at times when he thought of Bucky. Sometimes when they were together, he would catch moments of pure, unbridled love and affection coming from Bucky. Other times, Steve would receive random texts during the day saying “I love you” and he would start smiling like a loon for hours.

These were uncharted waters but strangely enough, Steve wasn’t afraid. It was amazing how secure he felt in the relationship now. Sometimes he would catch himself wondering if it was normal to feel this way after just a couple months, but then, Bucky felt the same. 

Unfortunately, life didn’t grind to a halt just because Steve and Bucky were in a good place in their relationship. Just days after they confessed their love for each other, Steve got a text in the last hour of work from Bucky asking him to come over to his office when he got off. Steve had yet to actually go home since he felt like someone was following him. Bucky made him feel safe. 

Part of him was imagining what it would be like to actually live with Bucky once all this was over. The lawsuit was ridiculous, but Steve believed in Natasha and Peggy. Bucky had done nothing wrong and the military had no right to make the kinds of demands that they were trying to make. 

He clocked out as soon as Wanda arrived to take over, bought a Frappuccino the way Bucky liked it, a tray of Russian tea cakes, and a black coffee and headed next door. The secretary was different than the first time he’d come to see Bucky, but didn’t give him nearly as much trouble. 

He arrived at Bucky’s office and walked in. To his surprise, Natasha and Peggy were there. He was suddenly glad that he had something to distract himself, even if it was just a cup of coffee and some cake. Bucky smiled at him as he entered, but he looked a little… strained. 

“Hey, Buck,” Steve said as he came around the desk to hand him his coffee. Bucky smiled and pulled him down for a light kiss. “How are you doing?” 

“Fine, all things considered,” Bucky replied. “I’d be better if the government would get off my back.” 

“Is it that bad?” Steve asked. 

“Well, theoretically speaking, they don’t have the right to demand anything from him,” Natasha said. “Practically, though, when the military decides that they want something, they can become pretty determined in either getting it or making sure no one else can have it.” 

“Sometimes both,” Peggy added. “Make no mistake, Steve, going up against the military in a legal battle is a tall order.”

“Is that what all this is about?” Steve asked. “What’s going on?”

“Technically, Stark Industries’ legal department is handling the case,” Natasha said. “But they need a bit more manpower to take care of it, so we’ve been asked to come on to help out.” 

“And my case?” Steve asked. 

“Your case is fairly straightforward,” Peggy replied. “Especially if you can get proof that you’re being stalked. Truth be told, based on the lack of evidence and the little bit that is available having been tampered with, we expect that Rumlow and his lawyers will approach us for a settlement before long.”

Steve grimaced. He wasn’t sure what to think of reaching a settlement with Rumlow. Honestly, he wanted to see Rumlow go to jail or something. A settlement might help him out more financially, but the idea that he might have the chance to send Rumlow to jail and that he might… not didn’t sit well with him. 

Something must have shown on his face, because Bucky pulled him towards him to sit in his lap. Bucky wrapped his hands around Steve’s body and squeezed him lightly. A little bit of Steve’s tension eased, but he was still a little pissed. 

“I didn’t think you would like that,” Peggy said sympathetically. 

“In your professional opinion, what would you advise that Steve do?” Bucky asked. 

“Unless the investigation uncovers evidence of stalking, I would advise that Steve accept the chance to reach a settlement,” Peggy replied. “Only the chance. If the proposal does not prove satisfactory, we can revisit the charges.” 

“You really think that they’ll approach us to make a settlement?” Steve asked. 

“Wealthy people aren’t terribly creative, darling,” Peggy replied. “Settlements are their go to strategy when they’re faced with a case that could be bad for publicity or one that they’re likely to lose.” 

“That doesn’t make it better,” Steve said. 

“I know it doesn’t,” Peggy replied. “But that’s how it is.” 

Steve thought for a moment. “What would you say our odds are if we didn’t settle?” he asked. 

“Very good,” Peggy replied immediately. “I couldn’t imagine a reason for it to go otherwise.” 

“Beyond bribing the judge,” Natasha cut in. “And as a Republican, Mayor Pierce is probably eager to keep this case quiet and have it dealt with quickly.” 

“So you think it’s possible he’ll bribe the judge?” Bucky asked. 

“Depends on the judge,” Natasha replied with a shrug. “If they’re sympathetic to him or if he’s worked with them before, it would be possible.” 

Steve groaned softly. “Fuck,” he said. 

“Indeed,” Peggy said. “You don’t have to make a decision now, but it is important that you know your options and what could happen.” 

“Yeah, makes sense,” Steve said. “Thanks.” 

“Now, about your case,” Natasha said to Bucky. 

“You think the bodily autonomy argument could work?” Bucky asked. 

“Considering we’ve never really had a case like this that we can think of, I’d say that it’s possible,” Natasha replied. 

“I think the real concern is now far the military is willing to go for this,” Peggy said. “If they decide that they really want this technology, it could complicate the case.” 

“How exactly is Stark Industries going to fight the military?” Steve asked. 

“Stark has a great deal of money at his disposal,” Natasha said. “He also has some damn good lawyers on staff working on this case.”

“What would the military argue against that, though?” Bucky asked. “That it’s military tech because I’m a veteran?”

“They might,” Natasha said. “There’s really no way of knowing until the hearing. There’s a chance the judge might tell them to fuck off and throw the case out.” 

“That’s what we’re working towards,” Peggy added. “It would make everything much easier all around.” 

“I can understand why,” Bucky murmured. “Anything else you can tell me?” 

“No, that’s all we’ve got for now,” Natasha said. 

“Good,” Bucky said with a sigh. “All this legal talk is giving me a headache.” 

“Well if that’s all, we have some questions for you,” Peggy said. Steve recognized the sly look in her eye. 

“Yes,” Natasha said. “How are you two doing? How long have you been like that?” 

Bucky didn’t move and Steve just leaned back against him. Bucky rested his chin on Steve’s shoulder. 

“Like what?” he asked. 

“Lovey dovey,” Peggy replied. “You’re absolutely smitten.” 

“I’ve always been smitten with him,” Bucky replied easily. Steve couldn’t help but smile and blush at the words. It was honestly amazing how that still happened. 

“Something’s different now, though,” Natasha said. “I almost expect to find Steve wearing a collar the next time I come over.” 

“A collar?” Steve asked. 

“Later,” Bucky said. 

“Regardless,” Peggy interjected. “It seems clear that something is different between the two of you.” 

“It’s rude to pry,” Bucky replied. 

“Your point?” Natasha asked. 

“Goodbye,” Bucky said. The two of them laughed, but at least they left. Steve sighed in relief and tried to get up. Bucky held him fast though and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “How are you doin’, baby boy?” 

“Long day,” Steve sighed, closing his eyes. “I’m tired. It’s been nonstop today.” 

Bucky hummed and kissed his cheek again. His hands ran over Steve’s body, gentle and soothing and Steve relaxed into the touch. 

“How are you, Daddy?” 

“Nonstop,” Bucky murmured. “I’m afraid I gotta get back to it soon.” 

“You work too much,” Steve said. Bucky chuckled. 

“Part of being a successful scientist, baby boy,” he said. “But I have something for you before you go.” 

Bucky turned the chair and reached into drawer. He took out a small envelope. Steve was somewhat relieved that it wasn’t a collar. As much as he loved Bucky, a collar felt like something that should be given at home, not in a public work space. Bucky opened the envelope and upended it. A single, bronze key fell out into Steve’s hand. 

“Buck,” Steve gasped. He stood up and turned around to face his boyfriend. 

“Hear me out,” Bucky said. He stood as well and took Steve’s free hand and laced their fingers together. “I’m not asking you to move in with me. I just... want you to have a way to come to my house whenever you want or need to.” 

Steve looked up at him. “Just… just tell me that this isn’t just because you’re worried about me,” he said. “I don’t want this to be because of pity.”

“It’s not,” Bucky said. “I love you. I want you to be with me. I want you to have a way to get into my home.” 

“So you _do_ want me to live with you, then,” Steve said. Bucky smiled sheepishly. 

“Well… maybe eventually,” he said. “We can talk about that some other time. I wouldn’t put you on the spot without discussing it beforehand, though.”

Steve closed his hand around the key. He couldn’t deny that his heart was racing. The last time he’d been asked something like this, Brock had been the one to ask to move in. Steve had needed convincing, but gave in, eventually. It was a much less romantic proposal, too. Brock had said it would cut down on costs and be more convenient after dates. Why Steve had let himself be taken in by that, he still didn’t know. 

This, though, was love. Bucky looked earnest; like he really wanted Steve to say yes, to be able to spend more time with him. Steve couldn’t deny that he wanted it, too. He loved spending time with Bucky and over the past couple months, his desire for Bucky and his company had steadily grown. He could see himself living with Bucky easily. 

“I’ll take it,” Steve said. “On one condition.” 

“Yeah?” Bucky said with a grin. 

“When you ask me to live with you, make it more romantic than your work office,” Steve said with a cheeky grin. Bucky chuckled and wrapped his arms around Steve’s shoulders and hugged him. He kissed the top of Steve’s head and Steve smiled widely as he wrapped his arms around Bucky. 

“Brat,” Bucky murmured in Steve’s ear. Steve hummed. 

“You love it,” Steve replied. 

“I do,” Bucky said. 

He held Steve a moment longer before he let go. Steve reached into his pocket and added the key to Bucky’s house to his key ring. He was excited, but he also wanted nothing more than to go to Bucky’s house and relax on his own before getting started on some art he was trying to catch up on. Being behind was starting to feel like a chronic state of being and he was honestly getting tired of it. Having more space in Bucky’s house for his artistic pursuits was immensely helpful. 

“I’m gonna go,” Steve said. Then he grinned. “I’ll… see you at home, then.” 

A slow, wide smile crept over Bucky’s face. He pulled back a bit and sat back down in his chair and Steve gathered his things to leave. As he approached the door, though, Bucky spoke up. 

“One more thing,” Bucky said. “I’ve got an order for you.” 

“Yeah?” Steve asked. 

“Do something nice for yourself when you get home,” Bucky said. “Treat yourself.” 

Steve smiled. “Yes, Daddy.”

* * *

Steve got home and was at a bit of a loss of what to do. Bucky told him to do something nice for himself, but the only thing that Steve could think of was to do something artistic. It seemed that he had less and less time to do that lately and drawing was relaxing, even if he was working on commissions. That wouldn’t, however, be for himself and Bucky would say so. 

He could do it anyway, knowing that Bucky would probably spank him for it. That would be a roundabout way of doing something for himself. He loved Bucky’s spankings, loved his big, callused hand coming down on his bare ass, loved feeling the metal arm holding him in place with barely any effort. 

He felt his dick harden at the thought. He went upstairs to his room and stripped out of his work clothes. He was looking forward to hearing back from Shield and not having to stay on his feet for long periods of time anymore. People who talked about sitting being the new smoking usually didn’t seem like they were obligated to stay on their feet for 10 or more hours a day. His feet were killing him. 

He ran a bath and put bubbles in it (which was technically doing something for himself, but oh well) and sighed as he sat down into the warm, bubbly water. It wasn’t even one of the kid themed bubble bath, but he still felt himself slip a bit into little space. He smiled and let it happen. It was a pleasant surprise and he didn’t intend to waste it by fighting. 

As he slipped further into the headspace, he began to play with the bubbles and splash a bit. He made a bubble beard as he washed his hair and laughed as he played with the bubbles in the water. It was only after the water had gone tepid and the bubbles were almost all gone that he emerged. He giggled at his pruned skin and got dressed in a shirt with the original starter Pokémon on it and his Pikachu pajama bottoms. He also took his contacts out because he was tired of wearing them and put some glasses on before he got one of the commissions he was working on and went downstairs. 

He turned Netflix on to where he’d left off in the show. Ash was in the Orange Islands. He watched a bit of the episode before he started working on the commission. It was fanart for someone on Tumblr for the Evanstan fandom. Steve loved the ship, himself. He had ever since The First Avenger when Chris Evans had been a skinny, scrappy, little punk and needed his best friend, Sebastian Stan, to get him out of most scrapes. 

It sort of reminded him of his relationship with Bucky, but neither of them had super strength and Bucky’s metal arm was the only similarity he had with Sebastian Stan. Bucky was a genius and a bit of a goof, whereas the Winter Soldier was angsty and broody and dark. 

Steve fell into a comfortable rhythm between watching the show and working on the commission. The request was for a bit of Chris Evans and Sebastian Stan on their goat farm in Wakanda. Steve had a reference picture for a goat, since the last time he’d seen one in person was at a petting zoo when he was six. 

He was a bit surprised when the door opened again and he heard Bucky groan in relief as he walked into the house. Steve grinned and almost completely forgot about the drawing he was working on. Bucky walked into the room and smiled before he bent down to kiss Steve. Steve hummed against his lips. 

“Hey, Stevie,” Bucky murmured. “Are you little tonight?” 

“Yes, Daddy,” Steve replied happily. 

“How old are you tonight?” Bucky asked. Steve held up seven fingers. “Wow, that’s great! You’re practically a big boy!” 

“Really?” Steve asked with a smile. 

“You bet,” Bucky said. “What do you want Daddy to make for dinner, baby?” 

“Cheeseburgers!” Steve said. 

“You got it,” Bucky said, placing another kiss to Steve’s lips. “You wanna help Daddy or do you wanna work on your drawing?” 

“I wanna color,” Steve said as he sat back down on the couch. 

Bucky placed one last kiss to the top of his head and walked into the kitchen. By the time the next episode began, the smell of beef was wafting through from the kitchen and it made Steve’s stomach growl. He got up and went into the kitchen. 

“Is it ready, yet, Daddy?” Steve asked.

“Almost. Be patient, baby,” Bucky replied. He saw Bucky put on a pan of asparagus with parmesan cheese and garlic on the stove. 

“Daddy,” Steve whined. Bucky just chuckled. 

“Now, now, baby. Veggies are good for you, remember?” Bucky replied. 

“But they’re yucky,” Steve protested. “I don’t wanna eat veggies.”

“Baby, if you eat all your veggies at dinner tonight, Daddy will give you something real nice after we’re done,” Bucky said. 

“Okay,” Steve said with a pout. He looked up through his eyelashes at Bucky. 

“Don’t look at me that way,” Bucky said. “Daddy’s gotta take care of you and that means you gotta eat veggies.” 

“Fine,” Steve muttered. Bucky just laughed, the jerk, and gave Steve a light swat on the ass. 

“Go set the table,” Bucky said. “I’m almost done.” 

Steve did as he was asked and by the time he was done, Bucky came over and put a cheeseburger on each plate and a plate of toppings in the middle of the table. He brought over tater tots and the dreaded asparagus and set them on the table. Steve made himself not grimace at the sight of them because he really wanted whatever Bucky had for him later. Maybe it was ice cream. 

“What do you want on your burger, baby?” Bucky asked. 

“Pickles, mayo, and ketchup,” Steve said. 

“What do we say when we ask for something?” 

“Please, Daddy?” Steve replied.

“Good boy,” Bucky said. He then, annoyingly, added lettuce and onions to it. 

“Veggies are good for you, baby,” Bucky chided when he saw Steve’s grimace.

“You’re mean, Daddy,” Steve whined. 

“I know, I’m the meanest Daddy in the world, aren’t I?” Bucky asked with an amused smile.

“Yup,” Steve said. 

“Remember, you’ll get something nice if you eat all your veggies,” Bucky replied. 

“What if I don’t?” Steve asked. 

“Then you’ll get a spanking,” Bucky said. 

“Daddy!” Steve protested. 

“Enough of that,” Bucky said. “We’re supposed to have dinner.” 

Steve sat down and started eating. He avoided the asparagus and ate his frankly really good cheeseburger and tater tots. He moaned as he took the first bite of his burger and ignored the smug look on Bucky’s face. When all that was left on Steve’s plate was the asparagus, he scowled at it. Bucky, meanwhile, folded his hands together and watched it. Steve had never wished to have a dog so much in his entire life. 

Bucky didn’t say anything. He just watched Steve as he glared at the asparagus on his plate that refused to disappear. 

“You’re not allergic to asparagus or something, are you?” Bucky asked. Steve shook his head. “Okay, then. I’m gonna give you another five minutes. If the asparagus isn’t gone, then you’ll get a spanking.” 

It was enough to shake Steve out of his apathy and he picked up his fork and stabbed a few of the asparagus spears. He barely tasted them as he wolfed down the offending bits of healthy food on his plate. By the time he was done, Bucky was bringing him a glass of water with a slightly worried look on his face. Steve took a long sip and sighed. 

“Next time just eat the vegetables,” Bucky said. “You can choke eating that fast.” 

“Sorry, Daddy,” Steve said. 

“I have half a mind to spank you anyway for that,” Bucky continued. Steve looked up at him and swallowed nervously. 

“I didn’t mean to be bad…” Steve said. 

“I know you didn’t, baby boy, but you need to learn,” Bucky replied. Steve looked down. “I think you need a spanking.” 

“Daddy, please, no,” Steve whined. 

“Baby, you have to be good,” Bucky said a bit sternly. “Daddy told you what would happen if you weren’t, didn’t he?” Steve nodded. “Then be good and take your punishment and you’ll get that treat at the end.” 

Bucky pulled Steve to his feet and started clearing the table. When it was clear, he bent Steve over the edge and pulled his pants down. Steve sniffed and hid his face in his arms. He heard Bucky unbuckle his pants and he shivered in anticipation. He’d wanted this earlier, but now he wasn’t so sure. 

“You’re gonna get five tonight, Stevie,” Bucky said. “And after that, you’ll get your treat. You ready?" 

“Yes, Daddy,” Steve murmured. 

Almost as soon as the words left his mouth, the first strike across his ass harshly. He whimpered as he screwed his eyes shut. His legs trembled as Bucky brought the belt down again. The strikes were hot and intense and by the second strike, tears were falling down his cheeks onto the table beneath him. By the third strike, he cried out in pain. HIs ass burned. The fourth strike landed in exactly the same place and Steve sobbed. 

“Last one, baby. You can do this,” Bucky said. Steve sniffed and nodded. The fifth strike landed across his ass and he cried out again. As soon as it was done, Bucky brushed a gentle hand down the length of Steve’s spine. He pulled Steve down to sit in his lap. “Good boy. Such a good boy for Daddy. You took that so good, baby.” 

Steve sniffed and cried into the crook of Bucky’s neck. Bucky kissed his temple gently. 

“Daddy loves you, baby boy,” Bucky murmured. “You’re such a good boy. Daddy loves you.” 

Steve wrapped his arms around Bucky’s neck and took a deep breath. He calmed a bit as he inhaled Bucky’s musky scent and it soothed him just a bit. After a few minutes, he felt calm again and laid his head on Bucky’s shoulder. 

“Are you still little?” Bucky asked. Steve nodded. “You want your treat now or later?” 

“Maybe later,” Steve said. “I just wanna cuddle with you a bit.” 

“Okay, baby,” Bucky murmured. He pulled Steve’s pants back up and stood up. He carried Steve back to the living room. He sat down and Steve hissed as the pants rubbed over his stinging ass. “You wanna keep watching Pokémon or do you wanna watch something else?” 

“Something else,” Steve said. “Maybe Spongebob.” 

Bucky turned off Netflix and flipped to one of the Nickelodeon channels. Sure enough, one of them was playing Spongebob. Even better, it was one of the newer episodes. Steve was able to forget about the pain in his ass. It was starting to recede a bit, thankfully. He relaxed as the show went on. 

After a couple episodes, Steve felt Bucky’s hand creep down his back and cup his ass. Steve hummed and whined softly as he began to rub against Bucky crotch. He could feel Bucky’s erection pressing against him. 

“Feelin’ better, baby?” Bucky murmured into his ear. Steve nodded. “You ready for your treat?” 

“Yes, please,” Steve replied. “What is it?” 

“Cake,” Bucky said. Steve smiled and turned to look at him. 

“Cake?! Really?!” Steve asked. Bucky just grinned and slid Steve off his lap and pushed him gently onto his stomach before pulling his pants down. “Daddy, this isn’t cake,” Steve giggled. 

“Hush now. Who makes the rules here?” Bucky asked. 

“You do, Daddy,” Steve said. 

“That’s right. So if I say that this,” he said as he squeezed Steve’s ass, “is cake, then it’s cake.” 

With that, he licked a long stripe over Steve’s hole and Steve mewled into the couch beneath him. He pushed back against Bucky’s face and moaned as Bucky’s hands squeezed him again. Bucky’s tongue breached him easily and Steve relaxed as pleasure swept through his body. He arched his back as he felt Bucky press two lubed fingers to his ass and pushed them in. 

“Daddy,” he groaned. 

“What’s your number, baby doll?” Bucky asked. 

“10,” Steve replied. He felt Bucky grin against him before he resumed licking and sucking at his hole and taint. 

“Such a good boy for Daddy,” Bucky murmured. “So sweet for me. Daddy loves you, baby doll.”

Steve gasped as Bucky’s fingers brushed over his prostate. His legs began to tremble and his hole clenched around the thick fingers in his ass. Even through the delightful haze created by little space and the pleasure from Bucky’s tongue and fingers. 

“Daddy, please,” Steve whined. “Please give me more, Daddy.” 

“You’re a hungry little boy, aren’t you?” Bucky murmured. He pressed a third finger to Steve’s hole and Steve gasped and moaned as it entered him. “You like that, baby? You like Daddy’s fingers in you?” 

“Yes, Daddy,” Steve moaned. Bucky’s fingers curled and pressed against Steve’s prostate and Steve moaned again as he tightened around them. “I’m close.” 

“Not yet, baby,” Bucky murmured into Steve’s ear. “Daddy’s just gettin’ started.” 

He pulled his fingers out of Steve’s ass. Steve whined at the loss, but Bucky ignored him as he fished a condom out of his back pocket and tore the foil off before he wrapped it around his dick. Steve arched his back, pushed back towards Bucky, and whined impatiently. 

“Just hold on, baby doll,” Bucky chuckled. “Daddy’s gonna give it to ya real soon, okay?” 

Steve looked over his shoulder and pouted at him. Bucky chuckled again and kissed him lightly. Steve felt the thick head of Bucky’s cock against his hole and his breath hitched. 

“It’s okay, baby,” Bucky said, stroking Steve’s hair. “Daddy’s here. Daddy’s gonna take care of you. Hear me?” 

“Yes, Daddy,” Steve whispered. 

He relaxed beneath Bucky’s gentle hand and a moment later, Bucky pushed into him. Steve moaned as his cock breached him and slid inside. His hole, prepped as it was, still burned slightly as it stretched to accommodate Bucky’s thick length. He was getting used to it and to be honest, he loved it. When Bucky was fully seated inside him, he draped his body across Steve’s. 

“You feel so good, baby doll,” Bucky whispered. “Treat Daddy’s cock so good.”

Steve just moaned and arched his neck. Bucky descended on him and started to suck little marks there. Steve groaned at the feeling. One of Bucky’s arms, the flesh one, snaked around his body to tease one of his nipples. His body was like a musical instrument and Bucky knew exactly how to play it to make Steve sing. 

“How do you want this?” Bucky asked. “Hard? Or gentle?”

“Want what you want, Daddy,” Steve replied. 

It was hard to think through the fog of pleasure in his brain that wasn’t really subspace, but he was little enough that it didn’t matter. Thinking was for big people. Bucky seemed to get it as he grinned and nipped at Steve’s neck again. He pulled his cock out until just the head was in Steve’s ass and thrust back in hard. Steve gasped as it slammed home. 

“Mine,” Bucky growled. He set a hard, fast pace and the only thing Steve could do was take it. “Daddy’s little boy. Gonna make everyone see who you belong to.” 

“Yours, Daddy,” Steve agreed with a groan. “Please, please.” 

Bucky reached down with a metal hand and stroked his thumb over Steve’s bottom lip. 

“Such a good little boy, asking for Daddy’s cock so nicely,” Bucky said. He brought his hand back around and placed it in the center of Steve’s back and pushed him down until Steve’s arms gave out but his ass was still in the air. Bucky’s hand held him in place as his thrusts grew harder and faster. “This what you wanted, baby boy? This how you wanted to be fucked?” 

“Yes, Daddy,” Steve moaned. He could do nothing as Bucky claimed him. Bucky groaned above him and his flesh hand wrapped around Steve’s waist and grasped his cock in a firm grip. He jerked Steve with the same pace that he fucked him. Steve clutched at the cushions beneath him and just felt. He could still feel himself approaching his climax, but the effort of fighting just didn’t seem worth it. 

“Daddy, ‘m close,” Steve mewled. 

“Not yet, baby,” Bucky groaned. 

“I can’t!” Steve cried. 

“You can. You will,” Bucky growled. “Daddy’s not done with you yet, baby boy.” 

Steve just whimpered and tightened his ass around Bucky’s cock. Bucky groaned loudly above him and his pace grew even faster. 

“Daddy’s gonna come, baby,” Bucky moaned. “Gonna make me come.” 

“Daddy,” Steve moaned. He chanted the word like a litany, a prayer. Bucky groaned and grunted before he slammed his cock back into Steve’s hole one last time and came. Steve felt it pulse and pretended that there wasn’t a condom, that Bucky actually came inside him. Bucky breathed and shifted his hips to fuck slow, shallow thrusts over Steve’s prostate as he jerked Steve’s cock. 

“Daddy,” Steve breathed. “Can I come? Please? I’ve been a good boy, right?” 

“You have, baby boy,” Bucky said. “Come for me.” 

Steve keened softly as he came in Bucky’s fist. Bucky stroked him through it until Steve was spent and he collapsed onto the couch. He could hear Bucky licking his come off his fingers, but it didn’t really register. His mind was too far gone to think anymore. 

Bucky gathered him up gently and put Steve’s pants back on before sitting him in his lap. He stroked a hand gently up the length of Steve’s spine as they both caught their breath. 

“How was that?” Bucky asked. “Did you enjoy it?” 

Steve groaned in protest. “Don’t wanna think,” he mumbled.

“We don’t have to talk about everything,” Bucky said. “Just wanna know if you liked it.” 

Steve nodded. “Like it when you’re rough with me,” he said quietly. “Thanks, Daddy.” 

Bucky smiled and pressed a kiss to Steve’s forehead. Then he groaned as he got up, picking Steve up as he did. 

“Come on, it’s past your bedtime, baby,” Bucky said. 

“Daddy, no!” Steve protested. “Don’t wanna! Wanna stay up with you…” 

“Baby, you gotta go to work tomorrow, remember?” Bucky replied. Steve shook his head. 

“I got tomorrow off,” Steve said. He pouted at him. “Please, Daddy? Please can I stay up with you?” 

Bucky chuckled. “Okay, baby boy,” he said as he sat back down. “But you have to go to bed on time tomorrow night.” 

“Okay,” Steve sighed. Bucky kissed him again and changed the tv to Amazon Prime and started playing some documentary Steve wasn’t really interested in. “So old, Daddy.” 

Bucky flicked his earlobe. “Quiet,” he said. “You’re the one who wanted to stay up with me.” 

Steve laughed softly and tucked his head into the crook of Bucky’s neck. He felt the soft cadence of Bucky’s breathing and the steady stroking along his back and decided that maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if he dozed a bit. He _was_ tired, but he didn’t have to admit it to Bucky. 

The next thing he knew, he was being tucked into bed. Bucky took his hearing aids out and slipped his glasses off before he drew the blankets over him gently and kissed his forehead. 

“Love you,” Bucky murmured softly. Steve smiled and rolled over. When Bucky climbed into bed next to him and pulled him close, it was the best thing Steve had felt in years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos give me life, y'all! <3


	26. Chapter 26

It was a couple weeks later when Steve received two bits of news. First, that Steve had been hired by Shield Law, Inc. It was the first bit of good news that Steve remembered having. He had time to give notice to Mikhail about leaving the coffee shop and then he would start working an actual 9 to 5 job. 

The other bit of news was that his case against Brock Rumlow had been given a court date. The date was in a month. Peggy suspected that Rumlow’s team was stalling, hoping that Steve would back out due to the legal fees of fighting them. Bucky assured him that he didn’t have to worry about that. 

Steve tried not to worry about it. He reasoned that if all went well, the judge would throw the case out and declare Rumlow’s claim invalid. At the same time, he didn’t really know what to expect. If his experience with Rumlow told him anything, it was the guy was full of nasty surprises. He couldn’t stand not knowing what to expect from the guy. 

Bucky’s case, meanwhile, seemed to have stalled entirely. Bucky wasn’t sure what to expect and the legal department at Stark Industries simply said that they were grappling with the military bureaucracy trying to get things moving. 

It meant that neither of them were at ease. Both of them were fairly anxious, but Steve, having the more immediate court date and someone who was stalking him who he still hadn’t been able to identify, had the greater difficulty relaxing. Bucky had taken to at least spanking Steve almost daily just to help him get out of his head. He didn’t mind, he just wished that there was some other way to help his boy. 

It got to the point where even Steve’s first paycheck from Shield, which was almost double what he made at the Artful Dodger, was bittersweet. The celebration was marred when Bucky definitely felt his hackles rise like he was being watched. Unfortunately, he hadn’t been able to spot who was watching them. Whoever this was, they were sneaky and good at it. 

The next day, Bucky called up an old friend of his. 

He was sitting in his office, his left leg thumping as he waited for the guy to pick up. Bucky didn’t have many friends from his army days, but his team, the Howling Commandos, they were the exception. They were all retired, now, all honorably discharged after Bucky got his purple heart by losing his arm. 

“Gabe Jones, Private Investigator,” came the voice when it picked up.

“What’s up, you son of a bitch?” Bucky said with a grin. Gabe erupted into a loud laugh on other end and Bucky relaxed a bit. 

“Sergeant Bucky Barnes!” he crowed. “What’s up man, how’s it hanging? You calling about our yearly get together? It’s not until October.” 

“Yeah, afraid not,” Bucky said. “I’m calling on business.” 

“Oh really?” Gabe asked. “What’s up?” 

“My boyfriend is in some… legal trouble,” Bucky said.

“Okay,” Gabe replied. 

“His ex assaulted him a while back and then doctored the security footage to remove the evidence,” Bucky said. “I stepped in and kept him from getting roughed up too bad, but then we got arrested for assaulting him.” 

“That’s fucked up, man,” Gabe said. “What do you need me for?” 

“Shortly after we were released, Steve, my boyfriend, got the feeling that he was being followed,” Bucky said. “Last night, we went out to celebrate his new job and I felt the same thing.”

“So you need me to find his stalker, see if it’s connected with this case he’s got going on,” Gabe said. 

“Pretty much,” Bucky said. 

“Well, you know I’d do anything for you, Sarge,” Gabe said. “Why don’t we set up a meeting with you and your boyfriend and we can work out the logistics?” 

“Sure thing,” Bucky said. “What’s your schedule like?” 

They finagled with their schedules for the next few minutes before they managed to find a time the following weekend that worked for them both. Bucky felt a bit relieved that Gabe had the time to pick up a case. He was good at his job, from what Bucky knew from the Howlies’ yearly gatherings. More importantly, Bucky could trust him. 

“Thanks, man, this means a lot,” Bucky said. 

“Hey, no problem, Sarge,” Gabe replied. “I got your back. You and your boyfriend stay safe, you hear?” 

“I hear,” Bucky said. “See ya later.” 

He hung up and leaned back in his chair to look at the ceiling. He wasn’t really the praying type, not since he’d left his family in Indiana, but he couldn’t help but wonder if it would hurt. It was weird. He never really felt this way, even when he was in Afghanistan, he wasn’t really much of a believer. He didn’t not believe either, he just didn’t feel quite as strongly as his parents. 

He couldn’t help but send a silent plea up, though. For Steve.

* * *

Bucky came home from work a little early that night. He tended to take time to make sure that Steve wasn’t neglected in any way. Considering all that was going on, Bucky could at least be the one part of his life that was steady, whether it was spanking him or just taking care of him. He didn’t mind it, he just wished that he could do more to help him somehow. 

Today, though, Bucky arrived to find him huddled on the bathroom floor. He quickly dropped his bag on the outside and went in and knelt beside him. Steve was shaking and Bucky’s heart broke as he wrapped his arms around him. At the same time, he hoped that Brock burned in hell for what he was doing to Steve. 

“Baby, it’s okay, I’m here,” Bucky murmured. “It’s gonna be okay, you’ll see.” 

Steve didn’t say anything to that. Bucky just held him tighter. He let the silence stretch out as he rubbed his hands along Steve’s body gently. Slowly but surely, Steve started to settle down until finally he took a deep breath. 

“That’s it,” Bucky murmured. Steve took in another breath. “Slowly, baby. It’s okay. You’re safe, you’re okay.”

Steve breathed again and a sob bubbled up from his throat. Just like that, the dam broke. Bucky held him. He leaned back against the wall as Steve cried into his chest. He didn’t say anything more, just kept stroking Steve’s back as he cried. Inside, his heart broke to see Steve in such a state, but he kept himself from showing it. 

After a while, Steve started to calm down a bit. Bucky kissed him gently on the temple and Steve sighed. 

“Sorry,” he croaked, his voice low and thick with tears. 

“Don’t apologize,” Bucky said. “I’m your Dom. If you need to apologize, I’ll tell you.” 

Steve just nodded. “Thanks.” 

“You wanna talk about it?” 

Steve sighed. “I don’t know what happened,” he said. “I came home, I started stressing about everything that’s happening, and… the next thing I know, I… was here doing… that.” 

“It’s okay, you’re stressed,” Bucky said. “Stranger things have happened than people having mental breakdowns over court dates with creepy exes.”

“I guess,” Steve said. 

Bucky decided against telling Steve about his hiring a private investigator just now. It could wait until he was less emotionally raw. 

“What do you need, baby?” Bucky asked. Steve shrugged. 

“A drink?” Steve asked.

“Can’t help you there, sweetheart,” Bucky said. “I don’t keep alcohol in the house.” 

“I thought you said you drank vodka on special occasions,” Steve said. 

“Nat provides the vodka,” Bucky said. “And only on special occasions.”

“You never said what counts as that,” Steve said. 

“You wanna hear the story?” Bucky asked. “Will it help?”

“Maybe,” Steve said. “I just… don’t wanna think about all the shit I gotta deal with.” 

“Okay, then,” Bucky said. He took a breath. “It was… 10? Maybe 12 years ago. I was a young kid in the Army, thinking that I’d be a career army guy like my old man. Had my sights set and everything. Had a good head for strategy and a knack for keeping people alive.”

Steve nodded. He seemed to be less distressed, if only slightly, so Bucky figured he’d just keep talking. He had promised to tell the story later, after all. Now seemed as good a time as any.

“I was a sergeant at the time,” he continued. “I had a team of guys around me that I’d been with since I started. I wasn’t a captain yet, but I was looking to become one.

“One day, though, there was a patrol. It was as routine as things could get until… there was a car bomb. We got out, got people to safety returned fire at the people who started shooting at us. I was in the middle of getting some people out of a crumbling building when… it fell.” 

“Shit,” Steve breathed. 

“Yeah,” Bucky replied. “I was trapped for hours before they were able to send someone to get me, in pain the entire time and listening to the gunshots and yelling and explosions and wondering if I would even be found. My arm was trapped under the debris and by the time help did arrive… they couldn’t save it.”

“Damn,” Steve said. “That sounds terrifying.” 

Bucky hummed. “The anniversary is the special occasion I mentioned,” Bucky said. “I spent a while after I got out getting drunk to try and block the memories out, but I managed to kick the habit when I started going to therapy at the school I got accepted to. Lots of guys aren’t so lucky.” 

“That’s why you don’t keep alcohol here,” Steve said. 

“Yeah, I didn’t want to become one of those guys who became an alcoholic to deal with their PTSD,” Bucky replied. “If I hadn’t met Nat in college, if she hadn’t hauled my ass to therapy… I don’t know what would’ve happened. Every year on the anniversary, I have a few shots with Nat, though, to let myself mourn what I lost and celebrate that I made it out alive.”

“I’m glad she was able to get you some help,” Steve said. He laid a hand on Bucky’s chest. Bucky looked down at him and reached up with his metal hand to grasp Steve’s. 

“Me, too,” he said. “Feeling better?” 

“A little,” Steve said. “I know something else that’ll help.” 

“Yeah?” Bucky asked. “What is it?” 

“Sundaes,” Steve said with a smile. “Ice cream always helps.” 

Bucky chuckled and stood up before helping Steve to his feet. “Sounds like a plan, doll.”

* * *

The next weekend, Bucky and Steve went out to a local breakfast diner to meet with Bucky’s friend. Steve was a mixture of hopeful and apprehensive. On the one hand, he would feel better knowing that there was someone who Bucky knew and trusted looking into whoever was stalking him. On the other hand, he was trying not to be too hopeful. It was as possible that whoever this was wouldn’t be able to find anything as it was that he would find enough so that Steve could file a restraining order. 

The diner, at least, had good food. And it was a friendly, relaxed atmosphere, so Steve felt better about meeting there. He refused to let the fact that someone was stalking him keep him from going out and having some fun with his boyfriend (much as he would prefer that someone wasn’t following him). 

Steve and Bucky had already ordered by the time a man with skin a few shades darker than Sam’s entered the building, spotted Bucky and crowed loudly. 

“”Bucky Barnes!” he declared, approaching their booth with his arms outstretched. Bucky got up and caught this man in a bear hug. They clapped each other on the back, laughing boisterously. “How you doin’, man?” 

“Oh you know, same old, same old,” Bucky said. “Aside from the obvious.”

“Yeah, I bet,” the man said. He looked down at Steve, who was still seated since he wasn’t really sure how to respond to this situation. “This the guy you were talking about?” 

“Yeah, this is my boyfriend, Steve,” Bucky said, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. “Steve, this is Gabe, an old army buddy of mine.” 

They exchanged pleasantries before Gabe sat down at the other side of the booth. He ordered a stack of pancakes and some coffee. He and Bucky exchanged details about their lives, how Bucky was adjusting to the arm, how Gabe and his fiancé were doing, what they’d heard from their other mutual friends. Steve stayed back and appreciated the chance to see this new side of Bucky, the part of him that he’d never really gotten to see before. It was fascinating, honestly. There was a level of camaraderie between them that Steve hadn’t seen Bucky show with many others. Maybe Natasha. Maybe. 

“So,” Gabe said once their food had arrived. “Cases tend to vary based on price. Depends on how long it takes to find what you’re after. I charge $70 an hour.” 

“As long as you find them, that’s all I care about,” Steve said. “I just wanna live my life in peace.” 

“I hear you man, I hear you,” Gabe said. “It does mean that I’ll have to follow you around a bit, too, but if this guy tries anything, I’ll step in.”

“So does that make you my bodyguard, too?” Steve asked with a smile. “I’ve always wanted a bodyguard.” 

“Don’t,” Bucky said. 

“What?” 

“This doesn’t mean that you can just pick fights whenever you want,” Bucky said. 

“When has that ever happened, though?” Steve asked. Bucky gave him a look. “Shut up. I always have a good reason.” 

“Your good reasons still get your butt whooped,” Bucky said.

“And you always save me,” Steve replied.

“Someone has to,” Bucky said. “Might as well be me.” 

“See? What are you complaining about?” Steve replied with a grin. 

“You trying to be a hero,” Bucky said. Steve opened his mouth to give a retort when Gabe smiled. 

“What are you laughing at?” Steve demanded. 

“Nothing. I’m just not surprised Bucky ended up with someone like you,” Gabe replied with a grin. “I’ll take care of your boy, don’t worry.” 

“I feel like I should ask what you mean by that, but I have a feeling I already know what you’ll say,” Bucky muttered. “Thanks, man, we appreciate you doin’ this.” 

“Anything for you, Sarge, you know that,” Gabe said with a grin. “When and if I find anything, do you have a lawyer I can send this stuff to so it can help get a restraining order?”

“Yeah, I got someone,” Steve said. He gave her Peggy’s information and Gabe wrote it down in a little notebook before he tucked it into a pocket.

“Thanks, I’ll be in touch,” he said. He got up and went to the front of the diner to pay for his food and walked out. Steve leaned back in the booth.

“So that’s one of your army buddies,” he said. “I like him.” 

“Somehow I’m not surprised,” Bucky said. He leaned over and kissed Steve’s cheek gently. “How are you feeling?” 

“Better,” Steve replied. “I’m glad you called someone about this.”

“I’m glad,” Bucky said. “Of course, I’ll be gladder when and if he’s able to find something.” 

“Definitely,” Steve said. “But something is better than nothing, right?” 

“You got that right,” Bucky said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos give me life, y'all! <3


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy birthday, Steve! 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

It was the night before Steve’s case hearing. Steve wished he could think about anything other than the way his clothes were starting to fit. Where once they had been fine and comfortable, some of them were starting to feel somewhat tight, especially around his stomach and chest. He was scowling at a pile of clothes that weren’t necessarily too small, but didn’t fit as well as they used to, either. 

He hated it. He hated the way that he had been acting lately due to the stress. He should’ve found a better way to cope with the stress than eating. He could’ve worked on art, he could’ve been little, he could’ve done any number of things. Instead, he’d eaten more lately and now he was staring at clothes the same way that he always had, trying to figure out how long he could hold on to them before they became noticeably too small. 

The apartment tonight was busy. He forgot why he was there now instead of with Bucky. That was a lie, he knew why, the reason was just dumb. It was because he wanted to know if his stalker knew where he lived. The last he had heard from Bucky’s army buddy was when they had met at the diner. Since then, nothing. Instead of worrying about it, Steve decided to just go home and try to relax for a few days before the hearing. Knowing that Gabe was following him made him a little more at ease, and he figured that staying in one place wouldn't give Gabe much to work with in regards to the stalker. 

“You’ve been glaring at the clothes for half an hour,” Sam’s voice said from behind him. Steve turned. Sam was leaning on the wall, his mouth twisted in a teasing grin. “I’m sure they’re all sorry for whatever they’ve done.” 

“Ha ha,” Steve replied. 

“Dude, seriously, the clothes are fine,” Sam said. “They don’t have to be perfect, they just gotta make you feel good and cover your body.”

“I know,” Steve replied. He turned around and started walking towards the kitchen. 

“You know none of us blame you, right?” Sam said. It made Steve stop and turn around. “None of us blame you for what’s going on.” 

Steve set his jaw. “I shouldn’t have been so stupid. I should’ve known what Rumlow was like.” 

“Maybe,” Sam said. “Or maybe he fooled you, just like every other asshole out there like him fools people. That’s on him, not you.” 

“I just,” Steve said, slumping against the wall behind him. “If I had never dated him, I wouldn’t even be in this mess. I wouldn’t have a stalker or a court case and Bucky wouldn’t have gotten sued by the military.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right about that,” Sam replied. “But… you’re not responsible for the things Rumlow chose to do. The guy didn’t have to be the biggest asshole in the country after Donald Trump.” 

Steve had to chuckle a bit at that in spite of everything that had happened. It was nice to hang out with Sam, despite everything that was going on. 

“Thanks,” Steve said.

“That’ll be $50,” Sam replied. 

“What?!” Steve protested. He laughed as he shoved Sam away. Sam shoved him back playfully and they laughed again. “You ass! You’re gonna charge me for cheering me up?”

“Hey man, I got loans to pay off and counseling sessions aren’t free yet,” Sam laughed in reply. 

“I’m leaving a bad review on google later,” Steve said. 

“Ouch, man, that’s a low blow right there,” Sam said. “Can’t believe you’d do that to me.” 

“Yeah, well, that’s what you get for charging your friends for advice,” Steve said. 

“I knew that was an ethical issue for a reason,” Sam mused. He slung his arm around Steve’s shoulders and walked them out to the living room. “Anyway, quit moping, we’re ordering Thai food tonight.” 

Steve’s stomach growled at the thought and he felt a bit guilty because of it. “I should probably…” 

“Hey, man, you’re stressed, it’s okay,” Sam said. “But you gotta eat. Don’t care if you don’t burn it off as easily as other people, starving yourself when you’re hungry isn’t gonna solve anything.” 

Steve relented after a minute. Thai food sounded good and there was a good place nearby that they all liked. He let Sam sit him down with Bruce and Wanda as they figured out what they wanted to eat. As far as such things went, it was a good way to relax, or at the very least avoid thinking about his hearing tomorrow. 

“Hey man, glad you could join us,” Bruce said. “Feels like it’s been a while since we all hung out together.” 

Steve smiled slightly. “Yeah, sorry about that.” 

“Not your fault,” Bruce said. 

“Yes, we all have lives that keep us busy,” Wanda replied. “So stop acting like you’re the one responsible for everything.” 

“I’ll try,” Steve laughed, but there was no humor behind it. No one said anything more after that, but Wanda took his hand and the silent gesture made Steve feel slightly more at ease. He was able to push his worries a bit more to the side and just watch the show. The theme song started and Steve smiled. 

“Who decided to put on _Steven Universe_?” he asked. 

“Well, we figured it was something light and happy, which is perfect for tonight,” Wanda said. “You love this show.” 

Steve just leaned back against the couch. It was true. The show made him feel like everything would be okay.

* * *

Across town, Bucky was quietly fuming. It wasn’t over anything important, to be honest. It was just some minor wrinkle in his latest project. A significant portion of him was tempted to just say screw in and leave it for later. He was under enough pressure as it was with Steve’s hearing tomorrow and his own hearing being scheduled soon. He was antsy and his body itched to be productive. 

Another part of him, the slightly more dominant part, wanted to keep going because if he was busy, he wouldn’t be as likely to think about other things. Things like Steve’s hearing tomorrow, his own hearing being scheduled, Steve’s stalker, and Gabe’s investigation, to name a few. 

It was no use. He saved the document he was working on and closed his work laptop with a sigh. He ran his hands down his face. He was tired, but he couldn’t sleep. For one, it was too early. He had to find a way to kill a few hours before he would be able to justify turning in for the night. 

The other thing was… the nightmares. With all the stress that the cases had brought into his life, his sleep was becoming more disturbed. He would wake up in the middle of the night with a jerk, certain that he was under enemy fire or there was a bomb heading their way or that he just had to run, get out, get to safety. 

Getting back to sleep when that happened was a challenge. Sometimes he could manage it, remind himself that he isn’t in danger anymore, that his life isn’t at risk. 

Sometimes, he stayed up for hours staring at the ceiling, wishing that he could fall back asleep after his heart stopped racing and the sweat on his body dried. He tried meditating, breathing exercises, mindfulness, thought correction. It was a challenge. 

The worst part… Steve had gone home for a couple days. It was after that that the dreams started to pick up. Some nights, he rolled over to find comfort in Steve’s presence, only to find his side of the bed cold and empty. 

It ached. He hadn’t realized just how used to Steve’s presence he had become. His baby, his doll, his sweetheart… without him, the house felt almost empty. 

He heard his door open distantly and with that, his mind made a switch. He got up quietly and snuck out the door without making a sound. He didn’t keep weapons in the house for the same reason he didn’t keep booze there, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t handle himself in a fight. He crept down the hallway silently before he turned the corner and peeked into the living room. 

There, sitting on one of the couches like they owned the place, were Natasha and Clint. Well, Clint was sitting at her feet, but still. He groaned as he walked in and Natasha held up a bottle. 

“Can you guys please knock these days?” he demanded. He walked over and grabbed the bottle. It wasn’t booze, at least, not strong stuff like the vodka she usually brought around on the anniversary. Instead, it was just beer. A beer. She and Clint also had one each, and there was nothing else there. 

“You always complain about that,” Clint said. 

“Well I mean it, these days,” Bucky growled. “Did you not hear about the fact that Steve has a stalker?” 

“Oh,” Clint said. “Sorry man, I didn’t know.” 

“You didn’t tell him?” he asked, looking directly at Natasha.

“Nope,” she said. “It was a need to know basis, and he didn’t need to know. Besides, what I heard was technically during a client meeting, so I was obligated to maintain attorney/client privilege on Peggy’s behalf.” 

Bucky sighed. “Yeah, I guess that makes sense.” 

He opened the bottle and took a sip of the beer. It was decent. Nothing special, but then, it didn’t need to be. 

“Thanks for the drink,” he said. 

“Figured you could use one,” she replied. “I assume you’re going to the hearing tomorrow.”

“Of course,” Bucky said. He took another, longer sip from the bottle. “I can hardly let my boyfriend do this alone.” 

“I would be surprised if you didn’t go,” Natasha said. Then she leaned forward a bit. “How are you?” 

“What do you mean?” Bucky asked. 

“You know what I mean,” she said, a quiet but clear edge in her voice. It had been a long time since someone spoke to him like that, and Natasha was one of the few people allowed to do it. 

“The nightmares are back,” he said. “It’s harder to feel at ease these days.”

“Have you talked to your therapist yet?” she asked. He shook his head. 

“I was planning to send him an email after the hearing was done,” Bucky said. “I wanted to wait and see how long they would go on for.” 

“Does Steve know?” she asked. Again, he shook his head. “You should tell him.”

“Again, after the hearing,” Bucky said. “He doesn’t need any distractions.” 

“Is that how you think he sees you?” Natasha asked. 

“You know what I meant,” Bucky growled. “Don’t twist my words.”

“Right, sorry,” she replied. He tilted his head back to look up at the ceiling and sighed. 

“You sound like you need a release,” she said. “How hard have you gone with him?” 

“Not very hard, all things considered,” Bucky said. “He’s not experienced, I don’t want to overwhelm him by going all out.” 

“Have you asked him how far he’s willing to go?” Natasha asked. “From what you’ve said, he’s not glass. He could probably take it if you walked him through it.” 

Bucky took another swig of beer. “Maybe,” he said. 

“Just think it over,” Clint said. “Might be good for you to take out your frustrations and stress on Steve. Might be good for him, too, you never know.”

Bucky shrugged. Clint had a point. 

“I’ll talk to him after the hearing,” Bucky said. “Assuming it goes well.”

“Cheers to that,” Clint said. Natasha raised her glass and Bucky mimicked the gesture. He downed the rest of his drink.

* * *

Steve got off the bus the next morning in front of the courthouse. He wasn’t quite at ease in his suit, the effort it took to relax seemed insurmountable. His heart seemed to be in his throat and it only settled a little bit when he saw Bucky waiting for him. 

Any other time, Steve would’ve been blown away by how he looked. Bucky’s own suit seemed to fit him perfectly, his broad shoulders outlined perfectly by his black jacket, his pants fitted perfectly around his powerful thighs. His metal hand glinted in the morning sunlight and Bucky smiled wanly, like he hadn’t slept last night. 

Any other time, Steve would’ve thought immediately about what it would be like to be alone with Bucky and undress him slowly. To study and worship his body as he carefully stripped him until he was totally naked and be so in awe of his confidence that Steve would be the one to feel naked in front of beautiful, imposing figure that was Bucky Barnes. 

Instead, Steve just walked up to him. Bucky hugged him tightly and Steve returned the gesture because _damn_ almost a week without him felt like so much more than it used to be. They held each other for a while before the separated. Bucky kissed Steve’s forehead as he stood aside and took Steve’s hand. 

“You ready for today?” he asked. 

“I guess,” Steve said. “As ready as I can be, anyway.” 

“You’ll be okay,” Bucky said as they started walking up the steps. “Whatever happens, I’ll be here for you.”

“Thanks, Buck,” Steve said. “By the way, my mom’s coming.” 

“Is she? That’s good,” Bucky said. 

“She wants us to get lunch after this,” he continued. “She’s… eager to meet you, I guess.” 

“How long have you known this?” Bucky asked. 

“Just since she texted me this morning about it,” Steve replied. “You… don’t have to come if you don’t want.” 

“You kidding?” Bucky asked. “Of course I’ll come. I’m just a bit surprised, is all.” 

Steve smiled at that. “At least you’re dressed up, right?” 

Bucky chuckled, though the sound seemed a little forced. Steve pushed it from his mind as they entered the courthouse. The metal detector stood in front of them and honestly, it was the first time Steve had even thought about the fact that there was one of these here and that Bucky had a whole _arm_ made of the stuff. 

“It’ll be fine,” Bucky said. “Just get through, we’ll figure the rest out as we go, okay?” 

Steve nodded and turned his pockets out and took off his belt and his shoes. He walked through without incident and as he collected his things, he turned around to see what was going on with Bucky. 

“Sir, is there a way to take your prosthetic off?” asked one of the guards. 

“It’s surgically implanted,” Bucky said slowly, like he was talking to a child (but not like how he talked to Steve when he was little). “So, no.” 

Before the guards could say anything further, Steve heard the click of heels on the floor walking towards them. He turned to see Peggy walking towards them in that no-nonsense way that signaled she meant business. She walked up to them. 

“Let this man through,” she said. “This man is a witness and pertinent to my case hearing.” 

“He has to pass through the metal detector,” the guard insisted. “It’s standard procedure.” 

“Well, considering that lots of people have metal in their bodies, what do you do with them when they set off the alarm?” she asked. 

The guards looked at each other. “Pat them down, make sure they aren’t hiding anything, let them go.” 

“Well, you had better get on that, hadn’t you?” she asked. 

She crossed her arms and watched the guards do exactly what they said they would do. Bucky held his arms out even as he scowled as the guards took their time patting him down. Finally, they seemed satisfied and let him past. Bucky slung an arm around Steve’s shoulder as Peggy led them to the room where the hearing would take place. 

“Assholes,” Bucky muttered. 

“At least they let you through,” Steve whispered. 

“There’s that,” Bucky replied. Steve sighed. “How you doing?” 

“I’m okay,” Steve said. “Just ready for this to be over.”

“You and me both, sweetheart,” Bucky said. “What do you wanna do later?” 

Steve thought for a moment as they entered the courtroom. The cold, vaulted walls and wooden floors all seemed somewhat menacing to him, like there was not an ounce of warmth present in the room. It only served to heighten his anxiety. 

“I want to go home,” Steve whispered. “I wanna be little, want you to take care of me.” 

“And how do you want that to look like?” Bucky asked. Steve swallowed. 

“Do whatever you want,” Steve said. “I don’t want to think about anything.”

“You got it, sweetheart,” Bucky said, kissing his temple. 

“I’ll be right here,” Bucky said. “You can do this. I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Steve murmured. He walked forward and sat down next to Peggy. He heard the rustle of Bucky’s clothes against the railing behind him as Bucky moved to sit next to him on the other side. Steve smiled at him, reassured by his presence. 

The waiting was excruciating. People slowly trickled in. A couple of his roommates who could attend were there. Angie had to work and so did Bruce, but Sam and Wanda were there. They’d apparently found Bucky and decided to sit behind them, as each one greeted Steve. His mom was the last one he knew to come in and he stood up to hug her. 

“ _Are you ready, sweetheart?_ ” she signed. 

“ _As ready as I’ll ever be_ ,” he replied. “ _Thanks for coming. It means a lot._ ” 

“ _This must be Bucky_ ,” she signed with a smile. Bucky smiled and nodded politely. 

“ _It’s good to meet you at last, Mrs. Rogers_ ,” he signed. “Steve has told me a lot about you.”

“ _Oh he has, has he?He’s a good boy. You’d better be treating him right._ ”

“ _Yes, ma’am_ ,” Bucky signed quickly. She smiled and kissed Steve again as she sat down. 

Of course, the other side of the room filled up with people on Rumlow’s side. Steve caught his ex’s gaze and Rumlow smirked smugly at him. It made Steve’s blood boil and it was all it took for him to stay seated. There were also reporters present, it seemed. 

“Who invited them?” Steve whispered to Peggy.

“We did,” she said. “I’ve arranged an interview for just after the hearing. If this doesn’t go well, we can use it as a way to create negative publicity for Rumlow’s team.” 

“Huh,” he said. “Good plan. What can I do to help?” 

“Whatever you do, don’t get into a fight,” she said. “It won’t help anything.” 

“I’ll try my best,” he said. 

Their exchange was interrupted as a guard walked through one of the doors at the front of the room and bid everyone rise. They did and the judge walked into the room. His name was… Sitwell. Steve didn’t catch his first name. He seemed a bit older than Bucky with light brown skin and a bald head. 

“The preliminary hearing,” he announced when everyone was seated. “For the dispute regarding the assault of Brock Rumlow by Steven Rogers and James Barnes will now be called to order. Prosecutor Stern, you have the floor.” 

A man who looked like the male equivalent of Dolores Umbridge, minus the proclivity for pink, stood and walked to the center of the room. He had a face that looked unfortunately similar to a toad. Steve immediately disliked him. 

“Your Honor, this is a very simple case here,” he said in that smarmy, ingratiating tone of his. “My client, Brock Rumlow, a fine, upstanding man was going about his job one day and found a pedestrian roaming where Brock believed he wasn’t supposed to be. When he tried to help him, this pedestrian jumped him and with the help of James Barnes, here, assaulted my client.” 

“Do you have evidence to back these claims up?” Judge Sitwell asked. 

“I do, your honor,” Stern replied. “May I approach?”

The judge waved him over and Stern brought several pictures forward. Steve didn’t need to see them to know what they were. They were likely pictures of what Bucky had done to Rumlow when he arrived. Steve could only imagine what they looked like. 

“I see,” the judge said. 

“These wounds, which required several stitches and medical treatment,” Stern continued. “Were inflicted by those two men there for no other reason than petty anger and opportunity. The doctor who saw Rumlow has provided a written statement attesting that these wounds were inflicted by an aggressor with a heavy metal object, namely, James Barnes’s prosthetic arm.” 

Judge Sitwell hummed as he surveyed the photos. Then he set them aside and turned to Peggy. 

“Counselor Carter, the floor is yours,” he said. 

“Your Honor,” she said, smoothly as she stood. “The prosecution has said that this is a crime inflicted without motive. However, I say that the crime was indeed with motive, and it was inflicted by Rumlow against my client, Mr. Rogers and his partner, Dr. Barnes, intervened to defend him.” 

“Your evidence?” Judge Sitwell replied. Peggy marched forward with her own photos that Steve had taken himself on his phone. 

“These were wounds that were inflicted on Steve’s body during the incident,” she said. “Notice that most blows are to the head, face, and stomach, as well his forearms, indicating a defensive posture when the blows occurred.” 

“So this is case of who assaulted who, then,” Judge Sitwell said. 

“Not just that, Your Honor,” she said. “There is no security footage to corroborate the prosecutor’s claim that Mr. Rogers and Dr. Barnes assaulted Mr. Rumlow. In fact, we have a statement from the security team at Stark Industries saying that the security footage was tampered with and all record of the incident was deleted from their system.” 

Judge Sitwell hummed and Steve worried at his lower lip. The anticipation was killing him. 

“What is Dr. Barnes’s degree in?” Judge Sitwell asked. Peggy turned to Bucky and he stood. 

“I have a doctorate in robotics in neuroscience, from MIT Your Honor,” he said before sitting back down. 

“Impressive,” Judge Sitwell said. “But that does mean that the defendants could have been the ones to delete the footage, from my understanding.” 

_What?_ Steve thought. He looked at Bucky, who had a grim look on his face. Steve’s stomach felt cold. 

“Is there any more evidence that you can offer?” Judge Sitwell asked. 

“Not at this time, Your Honor,” Peggy reported. 

“Very well, you can take your seats,” he replied. Peggy and Stern each returned to their teams. Peggy sighed slightly as she sat down. 

“That could’ve gone better,” she said. “I didn’t think about Bucky’s degree.” 

“Honestly, neither did I,” Bucky replied quietly. 

“Could you?” Steve asked. 

“If I put my mind to it? Maybe,” Bucky said. After a few minutes, Judge Sitwell looked up. 

“It is the decision of the court that the prosecution does, in fact, have probable cause,” Judge Sitwell announced. Steve’s heart sank. “The case between Brock Rumlow against Steven Rogers and James Barnes will resume on October 24th. Court is adjourned.” 

He slammed his gavel and that was that. Steve slumped back in his seat before he bent forward and held his head in his hands. Maybe it was dumb to hope that the case would get tossed. Who knows? All he knew now was that the case would keep going, and this whole thing was going to continue. 

It was a couple minutes before he felt Bucky’s hand at his back. 

“Come on, baby,” he whispered. “Let’s get you out of here.”


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Sorry for the long absence, but I'm back and the saga continues! Hope y'all enjoy it! Also, lemony lemons.

Lunch was postponed to another time on account of the hearing. Steve went to work and got through his day by staying busy and doing work around the office. After weeks of working there, he had managed to establish a system that was working for him so far. If he focused on that and avoided thinking about anything else, he could lose himself in the work for a few hours. 

Unfortunately, a suit wasn’t the most comfortable thing to work in. Since Steve didn’t have to appear in court most of the time, he tended to dress a little less formally. Added to the fact that the suit didn’t fit quite as well as it used to, and he was left feeling uncomfortable most of the day. Somehow, he managed to stay until his work for the day was done. 

When he got home, Bucky was there waiting for him. He kissed Steve as he walked in and hugged him closely. 

“How was work?” he asked. 

“Eh,” Steve replied with a shrug. “It was work.” 

“I made us dinner,” Bucky said. “You wanna go change into something more comfortable?” 

Steve nodded and trudged up the stairs. He closed the door to his room and sighed as he leaned back against it. It was quiet in his room. No one talking, no one needing something to be done, no miscellaneous office noises. It was peaceful. Part of him was so tired that he wanted to just crawl into bed that very moment and just sleep until tomorrow morning. Part of him wanted to do what Bucky said and change clothes.

He groaned as he pushed himself off the door and walked over to the dresser. He stripped out of his suit and hung up the clothes so they wouldn’t get wrinkled. They would need to be taken to the dry cleaner sometime. He didn’t want to think about that. He reached into his dresser, which was full of various clothes that he wore when he was little. He pulled out a shirt with Pokéball on it and some pajama bottoms that had various Pokémon on it. 

These fit a little more snugly than they used to, too. Steve threw his head back and groaned again. He just wanted to have some fun tonight and everything was working against him. If he wasn’t so damn fat, he could just have fun and not worry about anything. 

With that thought, his stomach rumbled and he pushed walked away from the dresser and went downstairs. Bucky was setting the table with food, something that smelled delicious and comforting. He took a deep whiff and sighed. He looked at the center of the table and saw a gorgeous chicken pot pie. 

“Hey, baby boy,” Bucky said. He walked over and kissed Steve’s forehead. “You little? That didn’t take very long.” 

Steve shrugged and Bucky sat down. He pulled Steve into his lap. 

“What’s wrong?” he asked. 

“Nothin’,” Steve said. 

“Steve,” Bucky warned. Steve sighed. “Come on, tell me what’s wrong. Daddy can fix it.” 

Steve looked up at Bucky with a pout. “My clothes are snug,” he said. 

“Aww, baby, I’m sorry,” Bucky said. 

“I just… I just wanna be little and have fun and, and,” he sniffed and started to cry. “And I’m just so stressed and worried and I don’t wike it and now my clothes don’t fit anymore!” 

Bucky pulled him in and held him gently. Steve clung to Bucky’s clothes and sobbed on his shoulder. Bucky ran his metal hand up and down along Steve’s spine in slow, soothing strokes. Steve slowly started to calm down, and his sobs were replaced with hiccups. Bucky got up and brought him some water and watched until Steve managed to drink the whole glass. 

“Feel better?” Bucky asked. 

“A bit,” Steve croaked. Bucky kissed Steve’s forehead and wiped his tears away with his thumbs. 

“I hate to see you cry,” he whispered. “At least, when I’m not the one who made it happen. I want to be the only one who can hurt you until you cry, and only with your consent.” 

Steve laid his head on Bucky’s shoulder and Bucky wrapped his arms back around him. He was so strong, so solid and powerful. Steve felt small in his arms and it was such a good feeling. He wasn’t little, but it was the next best thing, in his mind. 

“Daddy,” he whispered. 

“Yeah, baby?” Bucky asked. 

“I’m hungry,” Steve said. Bucky chuckled and pushed off the table. He walked over to the end of the table and sat in a chair. Before Steve could sit in a different one, Bucky pulled him into his lap. “Daddy!” Steve cried. 

“Hush, baby boy,” Bucky said. “Let Daddy take care of you.” 

He cut out a slice of the chicken pot pie and puts it on the plate in front of them carefully. It’s a big slice, the pie crust is firm and the pie itself is filled with beautiful chicken gravy. Steve’s stomach growled just looking at it and smelling it. Bucky scooped up one bite and held it up to Steve’s mouth. Steve opened his mouth obediently and moaned as he tasted it. 

Dinner was quiet, intimate. Neither of them talked much about their days, since they had already shared the most important part of it. Neither of them much felt like discussing it, either. Steve just sat on Bucky’s lap and ate what was offered to him. When Bucky ate his own food, Steve would close his eyes and listen to his heartbeat. Eventually, Steve had had his fill and Bucky finished off what was left of their third slice of pie. 

“How you feelin’?” Bucky asked. “Any better?” 

Steve smiled. “I’d feel better if I had some milk, Daddy,” he whispered. Bucky raised an eyebrow as he looked down at Steve. 

“What kind of milk, baby boy?” he asked. Steve squirmed in Bucky’s lap. 

“The kind you give me, Daddy,” Steve said. 

“Ooh, that kind,” Bucky said with a grin. He reached down and put his hand over Steve’s crotch and toyed with his hardening cock. “How silly of me to forget. Baby boys need their milk, don’t they? Every day.” 

“Yes, Daddy,” Steve moaned. “Haven’t had no milk today.” 

Bucky clicked his tongue. “Well, now, gotta fix that real soon, don’t we?” he replied. “Why don’t you get off my lap and Daddy will give you what you need.” 

Steve slid to his knees between Bucky’s legs. He looked up at him eagerly and blushed as Bucky smirked down at him. He reached down to his jeans and undid the button slowly. He pulled his zipper down and reached into his pants before he pulled out his half hard cock. He held it in front of Steve’s face and jacked it slowly in his hand. 

“You wanna work for your milk, baby boy?” Bucky asked. “Or you want Daddy to do it?” 

“Um… yes?” Steve replied. “Can I have both?”

Bucky chuckled as he pressed the head of his cock to Steve’s lips. Steve kissed it reverently, smelling the thick, musky scent of Bucky’s member. His head was quieting as Bucky reached into his hair with his metal hand and pulled it back. Steve opened his mouth and licked a drop of pre-come forming on the head of Bucky’s cock. 

“That’s it, baby,” Bucky moaned. “Open wide.” 

Bucky thrust into Steve’s mouth without any more warning. He thrust all the way in and into Steve’s throat. Steve swallowed easily and moaned around the thick cock in his mouth. Bucky held him there for a moment and Steve tried not to gag on Bucky’s cock. 

“That’s it,” Bucky moaned. He rocked his hips against Steve’s face. “That’s Daddy’s little boy. Always ready and eager to have some Daddy cock in his mouth. So sweet for me. Daddy’s gonna dirty you up a bit, sweetheart. Would you like that?” 

Steve looked up and tried to nod around Bucky’s cock. Bucky pulled his cock out and Steve breathed before Bucky thrust back in. Bucky groaned as he fucked Steve’s mouth. It was slow and deep, but Steve still loved it. He stared up into Bucky’s eyes, dark with lust and desire as he stared down at Steve. After one, particularly hard thrust, Steve moaned and tears began to fall from his eyes. 

“That’s it, baby boy,” Bucky moaned. “Those are the tears Daddy wants to see. Such a sweet boy. Daddy loves you, baby.”

Steve moaned around Bucky’s cock. He suckled on the head when Bucky paused, savoring the salty flavor of Bucky’s pre-come. It tasted so good, Steve couldn’t help but moan again as he bobbed on Bucky’s cock. 

“Eager, aren’t you?” Bucky replied. Steve moaned and came off Bucky’s cock, kissing the head and nuzzling the long, thick shaft. Bucky reached down and stroked his hair. “You’re such a good little boy for Daddy. Treat Daddy’s cock so good, like you were born to suck it.” 

“Mmm, Daddy,” Steve moaned. “Tastes so good. Always want it, Daddy.” 

“I know, sweetheart,” Bucky said. His hand tightened around a fistful of Steve’s hair and tilted his head back again. “Daddy always wants you, too.” 

He thrust his cock back into Steve’s mouth. This time he went hard and fast so that Steve barely had time to breathe when his throat was clear. Tears streamed down the sides of his face as he looked up at Bucky. His hands were buried in Steve’s hair as he fucked Steve’s mouth. Steve’s mind was fuzzy. The only thing that mattered was Bucky, letting him use Steve’s body. His jaw ached, his tears stung with tears, but none of that really registered. 

“Daddy’s close, baby boy,” Bucky groaned above him. “Gonna give you your milk, baby. You want it? You want Daddy’s milk?” 

Steve moaned in what he hoped was an affirmative. Bucky threw his head back and groaned as he shot his load into Steve’s willing mouth. He fucked Steve’s mouth until he was completely spent before he slumped back against the chair. Steve kept suckling on the head of Bucky’s cock, milking the last bit of Bucky’s come from his body before he settled between Bucky’s legs with his cock still in his mouth. Bucky laughed and looked down at him. 

“You want some more, baby boy?” Bucky asked. “One load not enough for you tonight?” 

Steve shook his head and Bucky smiled. 

“Well, if you’re a good boy and you keep Daddy’s cock warm, you might bet some,” he said. 

Bucky got up and Steve whined in protest. Bucky just chuckled at him. 

“Come on, baby,” Bucky said. “Can’t stay in the dining room all night. It’s not gonna be very good for your knees and we got stuff to put away.” 

Bucky transferred the rest of the pie to a tupperware container and walked out to the living room. Steve crawled after him until Bucky sat on a couch and turned the tv on. He turned on one of the Star Trek shows (Steve honestly didn’t really know much about them) and settled on the couch with his legs spread. Steve knelt on a plush, velvet pillow on the floor between Bucky’s legs and took Bucky’s cock into his mouth. 

“That’s it, baby boy,” Bucky purred, stroking his hair. “Such a good boy for Daddy.” 

Steve moaned around Bucky’s cock as he settled between Bucky’s legs. He rested his head on one of Bucky’s thighs as Bucky watched his program. ON another night, Steve might’ve tried to get into the show to see what it was all about but he was a bigger fan of Bucky’s cock, to be honest. 

After a couple episodes, Bucky asked if Steve needed anything. Steve shook his head and Bucky kept watching the program. As the night went on, Steve’s mind grew fuzzy. Not terribly so, just enough to make him feel a little bit floaty and warm and comfortable. Every now and then, Bucky reached down to stroke Steve’s hair or something, but aside from that, there was nothing. 

Finally, hours later, Bucky started to move. He thrust shallowly into Steve’s mouth, holding his head in place with his metal hand. He kept his pace slow and methodical and Steve moaned softly around Bucky’s cock. Unlike last time, Bucky didn’t fuck his throat as much, instead just leisurely fucking Steve’s mouth. Steve moaned around his cock at the feeling. Bucky arched up at the feeling. 

“That’s it, baby,” Bucky breathed. “Mmm, just like that. Just let Daddy use that pretty mouth of yours, baby boy.” 

Steve moaned again and Bucky thrust just a little bit deeper into his mouth. He groaned above him, his eyes screwed shut as his grip on Steve’s hair tightened. Steve moaned at the burn and Bucky growled at the feeling. His thrusts grew longer and harder. Steve stared up at his face as he sucked Bucky’s dick like it was the only thing in the world. 

“Fuck, so good, baby,” Bucky moaned. “Daddy’s good little cock sucker. Gonna come, sweetheart. Daddy’s got some more milk for you, baby boy.” 

Steve hummed round the head against as Bucky began to jerk his cock quickly. He moaned and thrust into Steve’s mouth one more time as he came, filling Steve’s mouth with come again. Steve swallowed every drop greedily, savoring the salty, bitter flavor of Bucky’s come. Bucky caught a few stray drops and pressed his fingers to Steve’s lips. He licked them off and sucked the digits as eagerly as he had Bucky’s cock. 

When he was done, Bucky pulled Steve up to sit on his lap and kissed him deeply. His tongue explored Steve’s mouth and Steve surrendered like it was second nature to him. It may have been getting to that point, but Steve’s head was too fuzzy to think about it in detail. Bucky moaned into his mouth. 

“Taste so good, baby,” Bucky said. He pulled back and traced Steve’s lips with his fingers. “Did you like keeping Daddy’s cock warm?”

“Yes, Daddy,” Steve said. 

“Good,” Bucky purred. His metal hand reached down to squeeze Steve’s plush ass and Steve gasped. His cock was still hard, he hadn’t come all night. “Because Daddy wants you to keep his cock warm a lot more often now. Might have you do it every day.” 

“Please,” Steve whimpered. He rubbed his cock against Bucky’s body. “Please Daddy.” 

“What do you want, baby boy?” Bucky asked. 

“Need to come, Daddy,” Steve whined. 

“Oh you do?” Bucky asked. He looked down. “I forgot all about your little cock, baby. Didn’t even think about it.” 

_Lies_ , Steve thought. Bucky wasn’t even trying to hide it. 

“Well, if you need to come,” Bucky said. “Why don’t you?” 

“Huh?” Steve asked. Bucky just chuckled and reached into Steve’s pajama pants. He wrapped his hand around Steve’s cock and began to stroke it in quick, firm movements. Steve moaned sweetly as pleasure coursed through his body.

“Daddy,” Steve moaned. 

“Yes, baby?” Bucky replied. 

“M-May I come?” Steve asked. “Been good for ya, Daddy, been a good boy, right?” 

“Of course you have, baby,” Bucky said. “Come for Daddy.” 

Steve whined as he came, his load shooting into his pants. Bucky milked him through his orgasm and Steve rested his head on Bucky’s shoulder. Bucky pulled his hand out of Steve’s pants and wiped it on Steve’s pants. 

“Daddy, gross,” Steve whined. 

“What?” Bucky asked. “You gotta get some new pajamas, anyway. Can’t have you sleepin’ in pants that are a bit tight, baby. You should be comfy.” 

“Yeah, but still,” Steve complained. There was a knock at the door and Steve sighed. “I’m gonna kill them.”

Bucky just chuckled. “My needy little baby boy,” he said, kissing Steve’s nose. “I’ll be right back.” 

Bucky got up and went over to the door. A moment later, he returned and handed Steve a small package. Steve looked between it and Bucky. It was clearly clothes from the packaging. He tore into it and sure enough, it was a pair of Pokémon pajamas just like the ones he was wearing, but the next size up. There was also a new Pokémon shirt with a Jigglypuff on the front with a microphone. 

“Buck,” Steve breathed. “When did you…?”

“When you weren’t looking,” Bucky said. He walked up to Steve and wrapped his arms around him. “I don’t care how big you get, or if you never lose the weight. I’m with you ‘til the end of the line.” 

Steve pulled him down and kissed him softly. Bucky hummed into the kiss as he caressed Steve’s face gently. Steve wasn’t really sure if he wanted to cry or sing or dance, but he knew one thing: Bucky was the best thing to ever happen to him. 

“I love you, too,” Steve murmured against Bucky’s lips. He pulled away and stripped out of his tight clothes before he pulled the new ones on. They fit perfectly, neither billowing around him nor skintight. It felt… good. 

“So,” Bucky said when Steve was done. “Do you want to be little now, or do you want to be little tomorrow afternoon?” 

“Can’t I have both?” Steve asked with a pout. 

“Sorry, baby, but we have a meeting with Gabe tomorrow morning,” Bucky said. “He called me today and said he’s found something that’ll help our case.” 

“Really?” Steve asked. His face broke out into a grin. “That’s great!” 

“Yeah, he apologized for not having it ready for you today, but he says it’ll help,” Bucky replied. 

“What about you?” Steve asked. 

“We hired him to find your stalker, right?” Bucky replied. “But he did say that it might help both of our cases. Who knows?” 

Steve smiled and nodded. “In that case, I wanna be little now and then again after we’re done talking to Gabe.” 

“I said one or the other,” Bucky said with a grin. 

“Daddy!” Steve protested. He glared at Bucky, who laughed and kissed his forehead gently. 

“Fine,” Bucky said. “Come on, let me take care of you, baby boy.” 

Steve followed Bucky up to the bathtub. It was becoming a ritual at this point, but Steve loved it. When Steve was finally little and happy, Bucky got up, stripped, and stepped into the tub with him. He pulled Steve to rest against his chest and hugged him tightly. 

“Hey, Daddy,” Steve whispered. 

“Yeah?” Bucky replied. 

“Guess what?” 

“What?” Bucky asked. Steve pinched his nose. 

“I got your nose!” Steve cried. Bucky cried out in mock rage. 

“Not my nose! A bad little boy got my nose!” Bucky growled, his hand covering his nose so that it sounded a bit muffled. Steve squealed and scooted away. Water sloshed over the side of the pool, but he didn’t care. Bucky caught him easily, and squeezed him tight. “Give it back!” 

“No!” Steve giggled. 

“Little boys are supposed to respect their Daddies,” Bucky replied. “Now give me my nose.” 

“Say please,” Steve said. 

“Daddies don’t say please,” Bucky replied. “Give me my nose back.” 

“Make me!” Steve giggled. 

“You asked for it,” Bucky said lowly. He began to tickle Steve and Steve shrieked as he thrashed beneath Bucky. Bucky didn’t let up as he tickled him, his fingers dancing over the nooks and crannies of Steve’s skin. 

“Uncle, uncle!” Steve cried. 

“My name is Daddy, but okay,” Bucky said with a grin. Steve made a show of putting Bucky’s nose back and Bucky leaned in to kiss his cheek. “Good boy. Now get out, we need to clean up.” 

“Daddy,” Steve whined. 

“No complaining, now,” Bucky said. “You were the one who decided to play around in the bathtub. You can help clean up the mess.” 

Steve reluctantly got out of the tub and started cleaning up the water that had escaped the tub. It wasn’t that much. Not… really. When he was done, he yawned and Bucky used a fresh towel to dry him off. 

“All tuckered out, huh?” he asked. “You’ve had such a big day, haven’t you?” 

“Mm-hmm,” Steve replied with a nod. He yawned again. 

“You know what little boys need after they’ve had a big day?” Bucky asked. 

“What?” Steve asked. 

“They need to sleep,” Bucky said. 

“Can I sleep wit you, Daddy?” Steve asked. “Please?”

“Of course you can, baby boy,” Bucky said. He pulled Steve’s pajama pants up onto his legs before he led Steve to the bed. He tucked him in before he crawled into bed behind him. As soon as Bucky was with him, Steve rolled over and wrapped his arms around him. He wasn’t awake enough to say anything and he let Bucky’s heartbeat lull him to sleep.


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my loves! Sorry I took so long updating this. It's been a really stressful time for me lately, between starting my last year of grad school, my internship, and studying for a standardized exam that I have to pass in order to graduate. It feels like I've barely had any time to write, much less the energy. Hopefully that'll change soon, because I miss it. But I promise that this story is going to be finished. I just don't know if I'll be able to update as regularly as I used to. 
> 
> Now that that's out of the way, I hope you enjoy this new, slightly lemony update! <3

It would’ve been nice if Bucky’s care and attention and company had made it easy for Steve to sleep that night. It would’ve been nice if Steve’s anxiety was cured by being Dommed and having sex. Alas, Steve’s mind had a habit of waking him up in the middle of the night these days. He would wake up and snuggle close to Bucky’s body and feel his warmth and hope that he could fall back to sleep easily. 

However, that night, Steve wasn’t the only one who was having trouble sleeping. When he woke up and looked around, he found Bucky tossing and turning and groaning in his sleep. Steve came fully awake and sat up. Bucky was truly distressed. It wasn’t like anything Steve had ever seen in him before. Now, Bucky was coated in a thin layer of cold sweat and his face was contorted as he shifted like he was trying to escape something. 

Steve tentatively reached out to Bucky and laid a hand on his shoulder. When Bucky failed to respond, he shook him gently. 

“Buck? Bucky, wake up,” Steve whispered. “You’re dreaming, it’s okay, you need to wake up.” 

Bucky slowly opened his eyes. He panted as he jerked around and scanned the room. He sighed as he slumped back against the bed. 

“Fuck,” Bucky whispered. “I woke you up, didn’t I?” 

“No, I woke up on my own,” Steve replied. “Are you okay?” 

Bucky didn’t answer. Steve had half expected him to say that he was fine and that Steve should go back to sleep. Steve didn’t try to do that, but neither did he try to get closer to Bucky. His hand was on Bucky’s shoulder and that was enough. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” Steve asked. 

“I told you about what happened,” Bucky said. “It was just another memory of the war in Afghanistan. Maybe I can tell you in the morning, but I’m not in the mood right now.” 

“Okay,” Steve said. He felt a little lost. He’d never seen Bucky like this, despite the fact that he knew that Bucky had PTSD. “Do you want me to get you anything?” 

“Some water, maybe,” Bucky said. 

He sat up and leaned back against the headboard while Steve got up. He checked the time. It was four in the morning. It had been a long time since he’d gotten up this early, but taking care of his boyfriend was a hell of a better reason to get up than work. He put his glasses on and walked downstairs. When he returned with the water, he saw Bucky leaning against the headboard with the lamp on and a book in his lap. He wasn’t reading, though. He was writing. 

“Never thought you’d be the one to keep a dream journal,” Steve said. 

“It helps,” Bucky replied evenly. “I had a therapist once who suggested writing down what I remember so that I can remind myself that not all of my dreams are bad.” 

“Makes sense to me,” Steve said. He set the water down on the nightstand next to Bucky and sat down on the bed. Bucky wrote a couple more sentences and closed the book. He set it aside and pulled Steve against him. Bucky held him tight against his chest. Steve hugged him back. He ran his hands gently over Bucky’s skin and closed his eyes. Bucky’s grip gradually lessened and some of the tension eased away. 

“Thanks, baby boy,” Bucky murmured. “You wanna try to go back to sleep?” 

“Wanna snuggle,” Steve murmured. 

“Okay, we can snuggle,” Bucky said. Steve scooted down and laid his head on Bucky’s lap. Bucky gently pet his hair. Steve didn’t fall asleep again right away, but it felt nice.

* * *

A few hours later, Steve woke up to Bucky shaking him awake gently. He groaned and rolled over, grabbing one of Bucky’s pillows and squeezing it tight. It still smelled like him and he sighed happily. Bucky chuckled over him. 

“Come on, baby, it’s time to wake up,” Bucky said. “Gotta get ready for our meeting with Gabe, remember?”

Steve groaned, even as his stomach growled loudly. He groaned again at his body’s betrayal and opened his eyes. Bucky was sitting next to him looking down at him. He looked a little tired himself, but then, he had a cup of coffee in his hands. Steve sat up and Bucky handed him his own cup of black coffee. Steve accepted it gratefully and took a sip. 

“I still don’t know how you drink black coffee,” Bucky said. 

“I worked in a coffee shop,” Steve replied with a shrug. “I like good coffee and it doesn’t need anything else.” 

“If you say so,” Bucky said. 

“Shut up, you put too much sugar and cream in yours,” Steve said. 

“Don’t talk back to your Daddy, baby,” Bucky warned. “It’s not too early to spank you, you know.” 

“It _is_ too early, actually,” Steve replied as he took another sip. “I’m not interested in anything until I have food and another cup of coffee in my system, at least.” 

“To be honest, neither am I,” Bucky admitted. “But I would still spank you anyway if you deserved it.” 

“Are you implying that I’m a naughty boy?” Steve asked. 

“You can be a bit of a brat sometimes, yes,” Bucky replied with a grin. 

“Rude,” Steve said. He took a long drink from his coffee. He was starting to feel just a little bit more like a human being. “I’m never a brat.” 

“Right, sure,” Bucky replied. They finished their coffee together and Bucky took their mugs and set them aside. “Okay, let’s take a shower and get ready.” 

“A shower together?” Steve asked with a grin. “We might be late, Daddy.” 

“Get dressed now, play later,” Bucky deadpanned. “I’m anxious to meet Gabe and hear what he’s found.” 

“All work and no play,” Steve sighed. 

“I just said we’d play later,” Bucky said. “You really are gonna get yourself a spanking at this rate.”

“You’re so mean to me, Daddy,” Steve pouted. “I’m just tryin’ to be your sweet little boy…”

“Stop,” Bucky growled lightly. 

He pulled Steve to his feet and Steve sighed halfheartedly as he allowed himself to be dragged to the bathroom. Bucky stood in front of the wide shower and stripped out of his pajamas. Steve couldn’t’ help but check him out. Bucky’s muscled back, gorgeous ass, and thick legs just called to him so much. He couldn’t help it if his cock twitched with interest. He stripped out of his clothes, too, and stepped into the nice, spacious shower with his boyfriend. 

He took his time washing Bucky’s body. He let his fingers graze over the landscape of Bucky’s firm body. Bucky hummed contentedly as his own hands ran over Steve’s body, squeezing the love handles gently. Steve loved the feeling of Bucky’s hands. The callused, flesh one was warm and moved over his skin possessively. The ridged, metal one was cool and squeezed Steve’s flesh so that little bruises would appear later to mark him. Steve kissed Bucky’s collarbone and his chest and moaned softly as Bucky’s movements became more harried.

“Fuck, baby boy,” Bucky groaned. “Why you gotta be so damn sexy? Really did wanna just have a quick shower, but you got me all hot and bothered. Just can’t keep my hands off you.” 

“Please, Daddy,” Steve moaned. Bucky pushed him back to a bench at the end of the shower and sat him down. Steve leaned back to rest his head against the shower wall as Bucky knelt in front of him. 

“You can come once,” Bucky said. “After that, you can’t come again today until I say so. If I say so. Got it?” 

“Fuck, yes, Daddy,” Steve moaned. He gasped and whined as Bucky’s hot mouth wrapped around the head of his cock. Bucky bobbed hungrily on his cock, suckling on the head and moaning every time he rose. He wrapped his arms around Bucky’s head, his fingers digging into Bucky’s shoulders. His body writhed as he felt Bucky’s tongue teasing the underside of his cock. 

Bucky’s hands were just as wicked as his tongue. His flesh hand teased one of Steve’s nipples mercilessly. The metal hand moved over Steve’s left hip and thigh, squeezing roughly. Bucky came off Steve’s cock with an obscene pop and moved to kiss along the inside of Steve’s thighs. He sucked hard at the sensitive flesh, his teeth biting and his beard bristling against it. Steve whimpered and moaned softly. 

“Mine,” Bucky growled. “My baby boy. Nobody’s gonna take you from me. Not gonna let them, not ever gonna let you go, doll.” 

“Yours,” Steve echoed. “Yours, Daddy. Don’t wanna leave you, ever.” 

“Good boy,” Bucky growled. 

He latched back onto Steve’s cock and swallowed it down all at once. Steve moaned and arched against the shower wall. His fingers dug into the flesh of Bucky’s back as he clung to Bucky’s body. Bucky moaned around Steve’s cock and the vibrations made Steve gasp as pleasure burned through his body. He felt so hot. The steam from the shower combined with the flush in his body as Bucky sucked his cock to the point where Steve couldn’t think about anything but how good he felt. 

Bucky’s hands rose to knead Steve’s chest and tease his nipples. Pleasure sparked through Steve’s body, his entire being at Bucky’s mercy. Steve paid no mind to the fact that Bucky’s hands were rough with him or that he would probably be bruised all over from his affections. 

“Daddy, Daddy, please, it feels so good,” Steve whined. “Love it, love it so much.” 

Bucky moaned around Steve’s cock and Steve gasped. He could feel his balls rising, his orgasm forming in the pit of his stomach. Bucky sucked harder and faster, his head bobbing on Steve’s cock like it was the only thing that mattered. Steve gasped and thrust up into Bucky’s hot mouth. 

“God, Daddy, gonna come,” Steve cried. A split second later, he came into Bucky’s mouth with a broken moan. Bucky swallowed the come down greedily. Steve saw stars. It felt like Bucky was sucking his brains out and for all Steve knew, he probably was. He slumped against the shower wall and gasped for breath. 

Bucky stood up smoothly and braced himself with an arm on the wall. Steve stared up at him, at his Daddy staring down at him with hunger and lust. Bucky’s flesh hand practically flew over his cock and he groaned lowly as he chased his own climax. Steve slid off the bench and knelt in front of Bucky’s cock. 

“Please, Daddy,” Steve whined. “Need my milk, Daddy. Been a good boy, right?” 

“Fuck, doll,” Bucky groaned. “Open up, baby boy. So fuckin’ sexy. God, got a lot of milk for ya, baby.” 

He reached down with his metal hand and gripped Steve’s hair. Steve groaned as he felt the sting from Bucky’s grip. He couldn’t look away from Bucky’s cock, at the way Bucky’s hand moved over his shaft. Bucky moaned loudly and pressed the head of his cock to Steve’s lips as he came. Steve swallowed it, moaning at the slightly bitter taste. He closed his eyes and suckled on Bucky’s cock until he was spent. When he was done, Bucky pet his hair gently and sighed. 

“Good boy,” Bucky murmured. “That’s Daddy’s sweet little boy. So good for me.” 

Steve opened his eyes and looked up at him. He wrapped his arms around Bucky’s hips and kissed his stomach. 

“I’m not gonna leave you,” he said. “I love you, Buck. I’m not gonna leave you.” 

Bucky swallowed and pulled away a bit before he knelt down on the shower floor. He wrapped his arms around Steve’s body like he was Bucky’s anchor to the world. Bucky hugged him tightly and Steve hugged him back just as fiercely. A moment later, he felt Bucky shake as he sobbed onto Steve’s shoulder. 

“I saw you,” Bucky sobbed. “I w-was in Afghanistan, but I s-s-saw your body and I c-couldn’t save you. I-I-I didn’t—couldn’t go b-back to bed a-after that.”

Steve closed his eyes. He could feel his heart break as he heard about what bothered Bucky last night. His boyfriend, his partner, had had a horrible dream with something he should never have to see at all. Steve wished he could erase the memory of the dream, make it so Bucky never had to see that. He couldn’t, so he just helped it. 

“You wanna reschedule with Gabe?” Steve asked. “Maybe we can meet him tomorrow or something, if you need to take a day for yourself.” 

“No,” Bucky said. He pulled away and took a deep breath. “No, I shouldn’t isolate. If I do that, then I let it win. Besides…” he said smiling slightly at Steve. “I get to spend the rest of the day with you, and I wanna treat you so good, baby boy.” 

Steve smiled. He leaned in and kissed Bucky softly under the shower spray. Bucky returned it gently and held his face. 

“Thank you,” Bucky said. “I’m so glad that I met you. I wouldn’t change anything.” 

“Nothing?” Steve asked with a wry smile. 

“Okay, I would change you getting stalked and your court case, because fuck that. I hate that you have to worry about being safe,” Bucky said. “But the rest… all of it is worth it to have you in my life.” 

They were probably already late for their appointment with Gabe, but for some reason, it didn’t seem as important as it did yesterday. They held each other under the constant hot spray of the water until the water started to run cold. By the time they were dry and dressed, they were almost half an hour late for the meeting. Bucky called Gabe and said they were on their way right as they walked out of the door. 

It was strange, but Steve found himself almost longing for the comfort of being leashed to Bucky’s side. However, considering the state of things, and the fact that the prosecution might be stalking them in the hopes of finding something to discredit them, they chose to forgo anything in public, no matter how innocuous it might be. Bucky did have an arm slung around Steve’s shoulders, though. Steve found the weight comforting. 

They arrived at the diner to find Gabe with a small mountain of waffles. They walked right up to his booth and sat down. 

“Sorry we’re late,” Bucky said. “There were some… unexpected delays.” 

“Nothing bad, I hope,” Gabe replied. Steve blushed and smiled involuntarily and Gabe returned the look with a knowing smirk. “I see how it is! Glad this whole thing isn’t too stressful for you crazy kids.” 

“Shut up,” Bucky said. 

“I’m just saying, it’s good to relieve some tension,” Gabe continued. 

“Do you have anything, or is this just a social breakfast?” Bucky demanded. 

“You know, that’s the problem with you, Sarge,” Gabe said. “All business, no pleasure.” 

“I knew I should’ve asked Morita,” Bucky sighed. 

“Hey now, that’s going a little far,” Gabe said. His face grew serious. “Why don’t you get some food in you before we start talking, though?” 

“That sounds ominous,” Steve said. 

“I found a lot more than I was expecting,” Gabe said. 

Bucky and Steve ordered their food and Gabe got a second cup of coffee. Steve was too nervous to say anything while they waited. He wanted to know what was going on, what Gabe found, and if it was at all helpful for their case. Only when the food had arrived and the waitress had left did Gabe finally start talking. 

“The judge who gave his ruling on Steve’s case against Brock?” Gabe said. “Jasper Sitwell. He’s apparently been connected to Pierce for years, decades. He started out as a lawyer for Pierce’s weapons contracting company, Hydra. Became a judge about 6 years ago after Pierce became Mayor. He’s been looking after Pierce’s legislative interests ever since.”

“Shit,” Bucky hissed. 

“That asshole!” Steve growled. “He probably knew that I was innocent and just did whatever Pierce told him to do so Rumlow wouldn’t make him look bad!” 

“Probably,” Gabe agreed. “That’s not all.” 

He took out a flash drive and handed it to Bucky. “Sitwell is one of many. I found evidence that Pierce has a network of judges, lobbyists, and legislators in his pocket going back to the years when he was actively running his business.” 

“What are they doing?” Bucky asked cautiously. 

“Probably looking after his business interests,” Steve said. “Making laws and policies is probably easier if you have people on the inside ensuring that they go through and that any challengers don’t make it very far.” 

“Pretty much,” Gabe said. “Also it gets worse.” 

“What’s worse?” Bucky asked. Gabe leaned in. 

“Pierce has plans to use your prosthetic research with his company,” Gabe said. Bucky’s face grew so cold that Steve was actually a little frightened. 

“He wants to make our work into a military weapon,” he said. Gabe nodded. 

“He’s been calling for more young people to join the military, to ‘serve their country’,” Gabe said. “Military recruitment numbers are a lot lower than they used to be, you know. He thinks that if he can take wounded soldiers and give them new limbs, the military won’t need to new recruits as much.” 

“That bastard!” Bucky growled. Gabe nodded. 

“There’s more, but I’ll let you peruse that on your own,” Gabe said. “I would send it to your lawyers as soon as possible, though. I’m sure they would be over the moon to have something like this in their pockets.” 

“Thanks for everything, Gabe,” Steve said. 

“Don’t thank me yet, kid,” Gabe replied with a wry smile. “I have a feeling that Pierce isn’t gonna go down without a fight.” 

“Neither are we,” Steve said. Gabe grinned and clapped him on the shoulder as he stood up and walked out. Steve and Bucky returned to their meals and ate in silence. 

“Now what?” Steve asked when they paid. 

“Now we raise hell,” Bucky said. 

"Excuse you," Steve said. "But I thought you said we were gonna play today."

"Isn't this a little more important, Steve?" Bucky asked. 

"You promised," Steve insisted as they walked out the door. Bucky sighed. 

"You're right, I did," Bucky said. "We'll send the information to our lawyers, _then_ we'll play, okay?" 

"Okay," Steve said. He stepped close to Bucky and Bucky wrapped his arm around Steve's shoulders. "Gotta say I'm kinda glad he found all that stuff, though." 

"Me, too, baby," Bucky replied. "They're gonna be sorry they ever thought to come after you."

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on [tumblr](https://leisurelypanda.tumblr.com/) for various fandom nonsense! <3


End file.
